


Love behind the Scenes

by JAYJEN11



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: F/M, Kissing, Oral Sex, Romance, Time Line Season 3, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-26 01:06:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 53,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12048132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAYJEN11/pseuds/JAYJEN11
Summary: Danneel Harris is a Personal Assistant working for the CW Network. She finds herself working with Jensen Ackles, out in the backwoods of Canada, while he deals with the show, an upcoming movie production and his upcoming nuptials to up and rising daytime television actress. Will Danneel cross the line from professional to personal?





	1. They Meet

**Author's Note:**

> It has been a little while since I have written anything due to personal circumstances. This is me dipping my toe back in the water. I actually wrote this story ages ago, before the fandom & AO3 & my other fics.

Danneel and the receptionist looked at each other as the raised voices echoed through the wooden door, she recognised the woman’s voice as the producer of a period drama with whom she had been working for the last two years as an assistant and she cringed with the anger she could hear resonating.

 “You are making a huge mistake Edward.”

 “The numbers aren’t there Estelle. I have to go where the market is selling.”

 “What to tweenies and vampire lovers? That and reality shows are all you hear about these days.”

 “And the figures are showing that. Supernatural is bringing in ten times the numbers Summer Mysteries is.”

 “So you’re going to ignore all the mature minded people who appreciate some class and dignity with their drama?”

 “The figures aren’t there Estelle & they haven’t been for a long time, I’ve put this off as long as possible for you but now the powers that be are asking for a please explain.”

 “Don’t do me any favours Edward.” She snarled

 “Trust me I won’t.”

 “So what’s in store for Estelle now?” she said as if announcing the next big cliff hanger

 “We have a few ideas in the works, something along your calibre and we’ll get together and brain storm but in the meantime take a holiday, get some sun, read a smutty book.”

 “In other words go away, you don’t want me here.”

            Danneel was so engrossed in eavesdropping that when the outer door opened she gasped and almost fell off her seat before smiling at the receptionist who had done the same. She then saw Myra run a hand through her hair and blush and turned to see who could cause such a reaction.

The man who just entered was casual in jeans, an untucked plain white button up shirt and cowboy boots but he oozed self-confidence.  From her sitting position she had to look up, up, up to his chiselled features, five o’clock shadow and emerald green eyes. She knew he was an actor because she had seen his picture on a wall somewhere in the building but that was about all.

He nodded at Myra, who blushed again; flashed a look at Danneel before obviously not deeming her worthy and slid into the other arm chair in the room. His woody scent wafted around the room and Danneel looked ahead and tried to tune back into the conversation which had seemed so important just moments ago. The actor’s mobile phone rang and he let out a frustrated sigh before standing up, moving to far corner of the room and answering it in a low tone.

Danneel had been around good looking men before, hell Summer Mysteries was full of stunning men flouncing around in muslin shirts and tight pants that left very little to the imagination; but just in a shirt and jeans this man’s ruggedness and self assurance seemed to knock all those pretty boys off their pedestals. Here was a man who did not need primping, preening or manscaping to feel successful and ‘sexy’.

 “I’m just saying Summer Mysteries has been your whole life for three years. Step out of the Jane Austin era and come back to this century. You might find something in the now that will inspire you.” Edward said from inside the office and Danneel tried to refocus before the outer door opened again and she gave up completely

 “Jen?” Another absolutely stunning man asked with impatience and was answered with one finger being held up, his eyes flicked over the two women and he gave a friendly smile, flashing dimples, before disappearing out the door again

 “There are two of them?” Danneel whispered to the receptionist

 “Uh huh” was her reply as she fanned herself with a pad. “It’s days like this when I really hate my job” she said with a smile. Danneel almost wished she had something she could cool herself with because she had just seen two of the most stunning men in the world.

 “Forget it, I quit!” A voice yelled from behind the door and both women jumped and turned back towards the voices

 “You can’t quit Estelle, where are you going to go?” Edward asked wearily.

 “I have had offers.”

 “Recently?”

“You’re not helping your case here Edward.” She was starting to hit a pitch only dogs could hear

 “Well you can’t just leave because you’re under contract with the studio.”

 “I’m sure they won’t have an issue letting go of an old woman past her prime and not bringing in the figures.”

 “Look all I’m saying is just take a break before you make any rash decisions.” Edward said as the door flew open and bounced off the wall.

 “Fine!” she snapped

 “Fine!” he sighed

Danneel cringed when she saw the wild look in Estelle’s eyes. She had worked with her long enough to know someone or something was going to pay. She had a temper that was as famous as her artistic ability and Danneel had trodden on eggshells trying to make sure that that anger wasn’t vented on her.

 “Ah Danneel I see your head is on the chopping block also. Good luck in there.” Estelle said as her eyes flashed around the office, not really showing one piece of sympathy for her assistant of two years.

“Ackles” she almost snarled the greeting at the other occupant in the room as he put his phone away

“Estelle, I see you’ve decided to join us in the twenty first century.” He drawled and she huffed before storming out of the office and slamming that door also.

Silence echoed around the office before Myra, Danneel and Edward simultaneously let go of the breaths they had been holding.  It broke the tension and they smiled at each other.

 “Myra could you please bring us some coffee and me some headache tablets.”

 “Yes Mr Graul.”

 “Danneel please come in and ignore what Estelle said, your head is not on the chopping block.” He said as he ushered her through the door

 “Thanks Mr Graul for putting my mind at ease” Danneel said and then the office door closed.

 “Hi sweetheart.” Edward smiled and pulled her into a hug.

 “Hey dad.” She kissed his cheek. “Well I can’t pretend I didn’t hear the yelling through the door so I know Summer Mysteries has been put on an indefinite hiatus.”

 “There is only so far a parasol and an English manor can go in today’s world of forensic programs and science fiction drama.”

 “And then there’s the tweenies and vampires.” She smiled as she dropped into one of the office chairs and he laughed

“You did a great job with Estelle. Her temper is well known. You’ve been the only one who managed to stay with her for more than a month, two years was a huge achievement and, I won’t lie, a huge weight off my mind. You managed to keep her almost human”

 “I told you I was happy to help dad. You didn’t tell me it would be for that long mind you but all’s well that ends well right? Back to university for me and off the ulcer meds for you.”

 “Are you that eager to get back to university?”

 “Yes I am dad and you know it, doing it course by course part time is driving me insane, if I go back full time I can be finished in a year.”

 “Ok, you’re right; I’ve already asked you to put your life on hold long enough.”

 “What dad? Out with it.” She sighed. She knew that look; he already had plans for her if he hadn’t fully committed her already.

 “I’m taking it you’re aware of Supernatural?”

 “I’ve heard of it but I’ve never watched it, it’s definitely out of my comfort zone.”

 “But its all computer generated monsters and ghouls; you should know better than that.”

 “You forget dad that there’s no computer affects on Summer Murders. It’s been high tea and secret trysts for two years.”

“I know you don’t want praise and feel you were just doing what I asked you to but now I’m about to shamelessly exploit your good nature and your special skills again.”

 “How?”

 “I need you to be Jensen Ackles Personal Assistant.”

 “I didn’t think anyone had personal assistants anymore, except Estelle and that’s because she’s an institution around here.”

 “As a rule no one does. There’s usually enough staff hanging around set to help these guys out but Jensen has just got engaged and has signed on for another season and is doing a major movie that is starting to go into production before this season even ends. He’s doing our cliff hanger and then hitting the ground running. This show is getting the figures that warrant me wanting to keep one of the stars happy.”

 “Makes sense”

 “He should be easier to deal with than Estelle, Jensen seems to have not let any of his sudden popularity go to his head, but sweetie, his show is completely different to Summer Mysteries. There’s no turning up to the same set every day for sunlight and roses. Supernatural is filmed on the road in Vancouver and they get down and dirty. Working at night, out in the elements, in dark and grungy places. You’ll have to be on the road with them.”

 “You know that’s not an issue.”

 “Then there is the fiancé.” He sighed

 “Ok?” Danneel replied with the lift of an eyebrow, there was obviously a back story there

 “Joanne is one of the upcoming stars on one of the day time dramas.”

 “You mean soap operas.”

 “You know we don’t call them that anymore but yes. She’s young and beautiful but a little self involved. What I’m about to say is unofficial, just between you and me.”

 “Of course.”

 “Rumour has it she’s ringing Jensen every half hour and it’s driving everyone on set insane. He is a calm and very professional actor but in the last month has bungled more than his fair share of scenes and destroyed two mobile phones after calls from her. You’ll be a buffer as well as his PA. I need him back to calm and professional, not stressed out and absent minded.”

 “So do we want him to continue being engaged to this Joanne?” her father gave a bored shrug so the studio didn’t care about that side of it, just wanted him back to working at maximum capacity, “As a PA it is part of the job to handle all communication within working hours, I’ll try to have everything back to normal as quickly as possible.”

 “I know you can do this. If you can work with Esetelle for two years, dealing with Jensen and his high maintenance fiancé for the rest of this season should be a walk in the park, hopefully. He is getting a bit of a fan base but the show has security for any of those situations. Now as I said I know you’ll be perfect for this but the final say so has to come from Jensen. He knows he’s getting a PA, he just doesn’t know who and as per your usual request no one knows who you really are.” Her dad said to her before pushing the button of the intercom and telling Myra to ‘send him in’, before asking where their coffee was?

 

Danneel had heard of Supernatural, and although she had never watched it she knew the plot line and that there were two main characters in the show, both good looking young men, as they have to be in today’s world; she believed she had seen the two actors a minute ago and when the other occupant of the reception area walked in she wished she was standing so that she had some control over the situation instead of being towered over by this man and his blatant masculinity.

Jensen walked into the room with the assurance of a man who knew what his position was in the world and probably also knew how much this studio needed him. He gave Edward a friendly smile as he took his hand in a firm hand shake and then turned to look at her, again with the uninterested eyes. For a second Danneel wished she was blonde and stunning.

 “Jensen this is Miss Harris, whom I think will be perfect for your PA.” Edward said as Jensen looked over at her again, this time with mild curiosity, and Danneel took a deep breath before rising gracefully and walking over to him, holding out her hand.

 “How do you do? And please call me Danneel” she said politely as his hand swallowed hers in a quick shake and he returned her smile politely. He dropped her hand quickly but Danneel was too busy telling herself to stop staring into his eyes to notice.

 “Danneel has just finished two years working with Estelle on Summer Mysteries.” Edward said it like an achievement but Jensen snorted.

 “Something wrong Mr Ackles?” she asked with the lift of an eyebrow

He may be good looking, alright breath takingly gorgeous, but that did not give him the right to make derogatory comments, or snorts, about her career.

 “Nothing at all, congratulations on handling that old battle axe but do you think you can handle this show after working on a light weight show like that?”

 “Mr Ackles I’m working as your personal assistant. That has nothing to do with the show. You could be working on a cooking program for all I care; I’m working with you, not the show.”

 “I am the show baby.” He drawled

 “Really?” Danneel drawled back sarcastically

 “Shit, sorry don’t even know where that came from.” He said on a laugh then they smiled at each other and the tension was broken.

 “I told you Jensen she won’t take any crap. I know Danneel will be able to handle you, Jared, your fans and your fiancé.”

 “What’s wrong with my fiancé?”

 “Nothing, nothing at all and you know I wish you and Joanne all the best with your future.” Edward back tracked

 “I don’t know if the skirts and stilettos are going to cut it where we work.” Jensen said and Danneel could feel his eyes as they roamed over her body. She felt like static electricity was making the hair on her body stand on end as he started at her ankles, followed the line of her legs and across her stomach, her nipples unconsciously puckered as his gaze paused on them before flicking up to her face and she quickly lifted an eyebrow, letting him know silently that she knew what he had been doing. He smiled at her with no embarrassment at all and turned away to drop lazily into the chair she had just vacated.

 “I am well aware how to dress for the occasion Mr Ackles.”

 “If you’re going to work with me I’m sure Edward has told you that we are on the road during the week.”

 “Yes.”

 “So we are all in close confines.”

 “Yes.”

 “Look what I’m trying to say is Super is one big family. We work and live together so even though you say you work with me not the show, we are all the show. If we’re out in the back woods somewhere and someone needs something done, if you’re the only one around, you do it. It’s not like working on a set where there are people just standing around who can help and if they can’t, it’s only a phone call away”

 “Mr Ackles I’m not some high maintenance actress, I’m an assistant who knows how to get down and dirty with the best of them and this is only for a short period of time anyway, until this season is over, so I am sure my fragile sensibility can handle it for a short period of time.”

 “Fine, you and your fancy words are welcome aboard Danneel and, if we’re going to be working together you call me Jensen.”

 “Thank you Jensen.” Danneel said and took his hand again, this time the hand shake was longer and he gave her a firm full grip. She then smiled at her father and walked out of the room.

Danneel hoped she looked calm and professional as she walked and surreptitiously wiped her hand down her skirt to rub away the tingling feeling that had run through her arm when Jensen’s skin had touched hers with that handshake. She felt a tingling at her back but kept going, unaware that she was being assessed by the man she would be working with.

Jensen watched Danneel walk away with mild curiosity as he unconsciously rubbed his hand. In the black patent killer heels she was wearing her legs seemed to go forever even though they were hidden by a grey below the knee pencil cut skirt which seemed to accentuate her derriere perfectly. Her white shirt was tucked neatly in, showing off her tiny waist and unbuttoned enough at the front to show the shadow of her cleavage. Subtle makeup and red hair in a French knot completed the polished look and although from a man’s perspective he could appreciate that she was stunning and moved with the grace of a fine race horse he could still not picture her on his set getting, as she said, down and dirty.


	2. They Meet Again

To say that the next week was chaos and mayhem was an understatement. Danneel had left Edward’s office and went back to the set to find Estelle in the throes of a full tantrum. She was throwing chairs while screaming at one of the male leads and pushed a camera man to the ground when he tried to inconspicuously film her. Danneel herded her gently into her office where she poured her a small coffee with a huge swig of whiskey before going out and announcing that they were having the rest of the day off and could management please get in contact with everyone who worked on the show and have them all here first thing tomorrow morning. It was a sign of the respect she had built up as Estelle’s PA that everyone took her direction instead of saying they needed to hear it from the woman herself; that plus they were probably glad to be away from the screaming medusa.

The next day had been painful; Estelle had been maudlin, probably from a night of drowning her sorrows, when she had announced bluntly to the waiting group that the show was being shut down. She had then wandered off in tears of self pity and it had been up to Danneel again to explain the situation to shell shocked crew and actors and keep everyone feeling positive. There were tears and hugs and sharing of memories as people sat or stood around and talked. Writers ran off to try and figure out how to wrap up all their story lines in the next three shows and some staff members started making phone calls, looking for future employment.

            Her dad had sent a letter to her office stating that she was to start with SPN next week so feel free to have the rest of the week off to sort her affairs out before she was on the road. A replacement had been sent over to deal with Estelle for the remainder of the season, and the next day a replacement for the replacement had been sent over. Danneel ended up staying on set during the day and at night prepared her house for long periods away. She wrote a list of what she would need for these week long trips, what she thought she would need as Jensen’s assistant and did some internet background research on the actor; she met with some of the staff of the show to get an idea of what life was like on the road and what Jensen was like to work with; and made phone contact with Jensen’s agent and manager. Plants were packed up and taken over to her parents’ house and her goldfish was taken next door to the absolutely ecstatic Dylan who blended it in with the rest of his menagerie.

By the weekend Danneel was sorted enough to go to her farewell party and actually enjoy herself without panicking. The party was at the newest ‘it’ nightclub, although that changed almost nightly and so she was sucked into a black sequin dress; her red hair was down and straightened, her make up was perfect and tonight she felt like she could own the world. She had known these people for two years and knew that they could party with the best of them. Plus there was Riley Smith, one of the actor’s on the show, who she had shared a mild flirtation with and resisted the urge to date, even though he regularly asked. He was not one of the leads but still had a pretty good fan base and had never been lonely although he kept telling Danneel she could be the one if she would just say yes. She was no longer working with him, there was no professional barrier that had to be maintained and as she walked down the footpath she thought that tonight might be the night she just might say yes.

 “Miss Harris?” Danneel heard the query and spun around to find herself facing Jensen Ackles, and almost eye to eye with him in her tall stilettos.

 “Mr Ackles.” She answered politely

 “I told you to call me Jensen and seeing you dressed like this I can definitely see that you are going to fit in on set.”

 “Well I believe I said you could call me Danneel and your sarcasm is wasted on me Mr Ackles, do not judge a book by it’s cover.”

“Ahem” another voice pulled Danneel out of the vortex she had slipped into when meeting his eyes.

 “This is fortuitous, I was just telling Joanna about my new PA. Joanna this is Danneel, Danneel this is Joanna, my fiancée.”

 “How do you do?” Danneel smiled politely but was greeted with a look of daggers by a blonde woman who was over made up and covered in designer labels. Danneel knew the woman was only in her early twenties but looking at her here she looked like a thirty year old made up to make herself look younger, her blonde hair was definitely not natural and her clothes were over the top for just a night on the town; a complete contrast to Jensen who was wearing dress pants and a dress shirt open at the neck and rolled up at the sleeves

 “Jensen this is not how you described her. I was expecting a middle aged woman.”

 “I assure you, you have nothing to be jealous of Miss Krupa.” Danneel replied coolly

 “Oh I know that, I mean look at you and look at me, that’s a no brainer, but I don’t want there being any misleading stories in the newspapers because people are seeing him with you. What will people think of me if they think Jensen is running around behind my back with someone who looks like you?” her face was contorted with an ugly lip curl and Danneel had to bite her tongue to not tell her so

 “Jo remember what we talked about?” Jensen bent down and muttered in her ear

 “What?”

 “Stopping and thinking before speaking. Some people don’t know you or understand you like I do and could think you are being intentionally rude.” He raised his voice to normal volume and smiled at Danneel politely as he said that last part.

 “I know what we talked about but I just thought that was around important people. What’s it matter how I talk to her? She’s just a PA.” Joanna continued snarking as if Danneel was not even there.

 “Miss Krupa I can assure you, you have nothing to worry about, Jensen and I are only going to be working together on the set. There will be no one around but crew and then when we come back to civilisation he will go back to his life, you; and I will go back to mine. There will be no point at which paparazzi will see us together so as you so eloquently say, it’s a no brainer.” The look on Jensen’s face acknowledged the dig but Joanna had no idea.

 “Danneel darling you look beautiful.” An accented voice called and broke the tension and she turned around to find Riley coming towards her. The man was wearing black jeans that moulded to everything and a black shirt that contrasted with his blonde hair and green eyes. Danneel’s breath gave a hitch and she heard Joanna gasp beside her also, this was a good looking man who knew it and knew how to work it; and he was smiling a wide and flirtatious smile right at her.

She straightened to her full height and hit him with the full wattage of her smile also. He blinked and then pulled her close against him before dipping her over his arm and planting his lips on hers.

 “Before the end of the night Cheri” he whispered the promise with a hint of his French accent leaking through, as he lifted his lips

 “Yes?” she whispered back suggestively.

            Riley held her there, dipped over his arm, red hair shining in the street lights as it streamed behind her, while he looked into her eyes and tried to assess her mood before smiling as if liked what he saw there

 “Really?” he purred

 “Maybe.” Danneel smiled back suggestively

 “Well we should not be having this conversation in front of strangers then.” He whispered before giving her another quick kiss and then setting her up straight again.

 “I’m sorry. Riley Smith this is Jensen Ackles and Joanna Krupa.”

 “From that Demon show?” Riley asked rhetorically as he shook Jensen’s hand

 “And you Miss Krupa look familiar to me also.” He said as he took her hand and kissed it.

 “Miss Krupa is in ‘The Tycoon Business’” Danneel said and smiled

 “Ah yes.” He said as he dropped her hand and came back to put his arm around Danneel’s waist, they had an opinion of daytime actors, “Shall we go?”

 “Excuse us” Danneel said with a polite smile and a nod of her head

 “Where are you two heading to tonight?” Jensen asked casually

 “This beautiful woman is being taken away from me to go and assist some workaholic ogre who probably doesn’t appreciate the beautiful gem he is getting; so tonight we are throwing her a party.”

 “Seems we both have partners that need to think before they speak.” Jensen said to Danneel with a derisive smile

 “I beg your pardon? I am not understanding what you mean?” Riley frowned in confusion

 “Jensen’s the man I’m going to work for Riley.”

 “No.” It was emphatic

 “I beg your pardon?” she asked in surprise at his reply

 “I will not allow you to go off with this man.” he puffed up his chest and Danneel could see that he had his professional facade on; he was playing the role of her lover before he had even been offered that privilege.

 “Riley it’s not really your decision.” Danneel said, keeping a polite smile on her face while she discreetly elbowed him in the ribs.

“It is bad enough that you are being taken away from me and that I find you are going to be on the road during the week, in a whole other country, but not with him and his co star. I will not allow you in the backwoods with these two men; they will not be able to resist you”

 “Riley” Danneel snapped in her work tone, ignoring Jensen’s snort of derision and Joanna’s outright bark of laughter; and his head turned to her. As she watched he came out of character and smiled at her.

 “Sorry Cheri.” He then cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently. Lights exploded behind her eyelids and Danneel blinked open thinking it hadn’t been that good a kiss to create that reaction; and she was right

            Someone had recognised the actors and had taken a photo and more people were starting to look and point and nudge each other. Having three actors from three different shows and genres meant they were catching a lot of people’s attention.

 “Damn.” Jensen said as flashes start to go off all around them and the crowd started pushing forward.

Riley grabbed Danneel and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her in protection, Jensen reached for Joanna also but she pushed him away and posed for cameras while signing pieces of paper that were thrust at her. Jensen looked behind them at what seemed at be a restaurant and then looked at Riley who nodded and ushered Danneel back so that they went through the door. Jensen reached for Joanna and when she pushed him away swept her into his arms and pushed his way through the crowd and into the restaurant.

 

            Jensen placed his fiancé on the ground and looked around.  Danneel’s date was motioning towards the bar tender for a drink and Danneel had a serious look on her face while she talked into her mobile phone and it seemed the manager of the establishment was standing next to her wringing his hands and looking anxiously at the door two waiters had rushed over to block and lock. Jensen saw her then smile at him and he watched the man relax considerably and then watched his eyes rove over her body as she turned towards the bar. He almost took a step forward to get in the man’s face when his fiancé’s voice brought him back to the reality that he should be worrying about her and not some woman who already had a date to protect her and had not even started working with him yet.

 “How dare you man handle me like that? Photos of you scooping me up like that are going to be everywhere tomorrow” Joanna snarled as she hit him with her clutch purse.

 “Jo that was about to turn ugly and remember any publicity is good publicity. It will show how much I love you and want to protect you.”

 “They are only fans Jensen, you shouldn’t turn your back on them, they’re the ones that got you where you are.”

 “I got me where I am, the fans are a by product of that.” Jensen said as he ushered her away from the windows, where people were still looking and taking photos; and over to the bar.

 “So what now, we’re stuck in this place for the night?” she pouted to Riley as she downed a vodka and soda a few minutes later. Riley looked down at her and continued drinking without answering the question. He did not need to babysit such a child when he could have the beautiful Danneel who had hinted that if he played his cards right, would be in his bed by the end of the night. Two years of teasing and flirting might finally pay off with him being the actor on set to melt the Harris Iceberg.

“No.” Danneel answered Joanna’s question as she strode towards them purposefully with the manager trotting behind like an adoring puppy, “Jensen, Joanna, please follow Mr Papas.”

 “Why?” Joanna pouted

 “Jo just do what the woman says.” Jensen sighed tiredly and followed the manager. They hadn’t even got where they were meant to be going to and he was already ready to go home.

He looked behind him as they went down a hallway and noticed Danneel and her pompous date holding hands as they followed. She did not seem the kind of woman who would fall for all the flowery talk from this primped and preened man. He decided he also didn’t like the way this guy had thrown her down and kissed her, bringing to his own attention her stunning body, those gazelle legs and her glowing hair, and he didn’t like the way she had looked at the pretty boy like he was dipped in her favourite ice-cream.  Because he did not even know her yet or this Riley Smith, he put it down to being annoyed that their over the top flirtations was probably what drew the eyes of the first fan outside anyway.

When they got through the kitchen, the manager opened the back door and there was a limousine in the alley which Joanna flounced out and into

 “Jensen the manager has asked if you would mind signing this for him.” Danneel said as she handed him a menu.

 “Sure.” Jensen said with a polite smile to the manager before scribbling his signature across the bottom and then went out to the car.

 “What about mine?” Joanna called out.

  “I’m sorry Joanna he would love it but we don’t have time.” Danneel said politely to cover the awkward pause.

 “Thank you.” The manager smiled openly at Danneel as his eyes toured her again and Jensen almost climbed back out of the car to put this man down a peg or two. He watched as Riley finally read the situation and pulled Danneel into his arms before shaking the manager’s hand, probably harder than necessary by the cringe on the man’s face, and shuttling her into the limousine. Once in and doors locked both Jensen and Riley let out a sigh, Joanna seemed to be still pouting.

 “Miss Harris it is a pleasure to be of service to you again.” The chauffer said as the partition slid down

 “You’re the best Ralph, that’s why you’re on my speed dial. Can you take Riley and I to the party and then take Mr Ackles and Miss Krupa wherever they were heading?”

 “Of course; now you all better buckle up because I can see a mob of people coming.” He said before putting the car in gear and flooring it.

 “What was going on with the restaurant manager?” Jensen asked her

 “What do you mean?” she asked innocently

 “He seemed to be getting pretty friendly?”

 “The word I would use is lecherous.” Riley muttered darkly

 “You do what you have to in those situations, trust me I know how to handle his type.”

Danneel looked out the window and Riley let out a bark of laughter

 “What?” Jensen frowned

“I believe Danneel is recalling an incident on Summer that I just remembered”

 “What happened?”

 “One of the actors on the show would not take no for an answer.” Danneel muttered

 “And?”

 “After Danneel broke his nose he no longer came back to the show. I believe Edward Graul handled that.”

 “No means no, it doesn’t mean grab my breast and try and stick your tongue down my throat.” Danneel mumbled darkly as she continued looking out the window,

His opinion of Danneel had risen in the last half hour Jensen decided as he sat back in the car seat. She had calmly got them out of a sticky situation without offending anyone. She had ignored the advances of the manager, made Joanna feel like she hadn’t been shunted, which he knew she had been, and had them in the car without further paparazzi ugliness.

******

 

Danneel dropped her bags onto the floor of the medium sized caravan and smiled at the boy who had walked her over to her home away from home. He had been introduced to her with about twenty other people so right now she could not remember his name or what he did. He then pointed out which direction she should head in to get to the set and walked off.

            She turned and took in her surroundings. One end of the van was taken up with a built in bed and a small ensuite; then there was a two element stove and a microwave, a small fridge and pull out dining table slash lounge area with a TV stuck up high on the wall. And that was about it. She knew that the main leads would have much larger trailers than this and that there was a communal eating area and catering on set as well as other trailers where all the technical work and cutting and editing was done each night; if she were a crew member this would pretty much just be a bedroom. The fact that she was only here to work with Jensen and there would be hours when he was on set, this small area was going to probably drive her balmy after not too long, especially since she had, in her words, a slight twinge of claustrophobia.

            After unpacking and setting up she opened the door to her caravan and almost fell on Jensen as he was reaching up to knock.

 “Hey.” She smiled shyly as he put his hands around her waist to stop her from toppling.

There was a difference between seeing him at the office or on a suburban street surrounded by people and being out here knowing they were going to be working together in close confines with few people around as buffers and all of a sudden she felt nervous, a feeling not helped by his hands on her body.

 “Hi, you made it I see.” He said as he let go of her and stepped back

 “Yes I’m here and unpacked.”

 “And you’re right; you do know how to dress.” He said as he took in the very well fitting jeans that seemed to advertise Danneel’s assets without her even trying; the white jumper that also fit snugly and work boots that completed the outfit; “So how can you be unpacked already?”

 “I only brought a few necessities which is a good thing by the size of this thing.” Danneel blushed as she felt his eyes roving over her again

“Geez how small is this?” he frowned as he stuck his head past her and in the door to look around her caravan.

 “Well I’m not one of the major stars now am I?”

 “I suppose, at least it looks cosy and most of the time you’ll be in my trailer anyway which is where I was coming to take you, after a tour of where everything is.”

 “Thanks. Who’s your friend?” Danneel said as she nodded towards the dog that had flopped down behind him.

 “Are you ok with dogs?”

 “Love them” she said smiling

 “Do you have one?”

 “No which is a good thing since I’m now on the road.”

 “Roger come!” he said and the dog jumped up and bounded towards him, “Roger is an ex racing greyhound who I adopted.”

 “Roger? Really?” she asked with a lift of an eyebrow

 “Hey I know it is a completely unoriginal name, don’t blame me, he came with it already.”

 “Hello Roger.” Danneel said quietly as she got down on her haunches and held out a closed hand. Roger licked her hand and then barrelled into her, almost knocking her to the ground, trying to lick her face, all the while grinning a doggy grin at her.

 “Roger sit.” Jensen commanded and the dog dropped to the ground, still smiling at Danneel,

“Sorry about that.” He said as he helped her up, “Safe to say he likes you.” He could hardly look away from her face that was lit up with a huge smile as she patted the dog’s head.

            Jensen showed her around the set and re introduced her to people.

 “And this is the man I get to spend every waking moment with, Jared this is Danneel.” Jensen said as he introduced her to his co-star, the other man she had seen in her father’s office that day

 “Danneel really?” he purred as he came over to take her hand.

 “Yes Danneel.” This man was as stunning as Jensen. He was even taller if that was possible and had sun lightened brown hair compared to Jensen’s dirty blonde. He had golden eyes, tanned skin and was very taut but did she didn’t seem to have the same reaction to his closeness that she did to Jensen’s even though she wouldn’t get tired of looking at him any time soon

 “You are not what I pictured when I heard Jensen was getting a PA.” He said as he kissed the back of her hand

 “Really? What did you have in mind?”  she asked with one eyebrow raised

 “Hysterical thoughts of Jensen being stuck in his trailer for hours at a time with a grey haired lady who smelled like Vicks.”

 “Sorry to disappoint.”

 “Oh you darling are no disappointment at all.” He purred again

 “Jared give the woman her hand back and stop acting like a bloody idiot.”

 “I think I am going to be spending more time in Jensen’s trailer from now on.”

 “Really? Don’t come on my account, I haven’t unpacked it yet but by tomorrow morning I’ll have the bullshit detector set up in there so I’ll know when you’re coming.” Danneel said with a straight face and after a moment of dead silence both Jensen and Jared started laughing.

 “Well played Danni, you’re going to fit in well around here.” Jensen said

 “Don’t call me Danni.”

 “You can’t expect me to call you Danneel the whole time? it’s too long and too formal.”

 “This is a working relationship Mr Ackles, I’d prefer if you call me by my full name”

 “I’m sure we can make it a little bit more than just a working relationship.” Jared said with a wink

  “And on that note we are leaving the kiddie area and going to where the adults work.” Jensen said after giving Jared a good natured slap across the back of the head.

 Everyone on set was very friendly and she was trying hard to remember names but it was going to take a little while. He then took her to his trailer and what she guessed was right, her caravan was a freckle on the side of Jensen’s abode. He had a bedroom which was separated by a consentina door and a bathroom, not just a shower and toilet. He had pretty much the same cooking area, again there was catering, what was the point; then a large lounge area and dining area although it looked like he had turned that into a makeshift office. He had a huge screen TV and sound system and for some reason on the back wall...

 “What’s that?”

 “Well it used to be a dart board until they said I had to learn to throw knives for the show.”

 “Really? Is that safe?”

 “Well the only casualty at the moment is the trailer wall where I missed the surrounding padding; no one else has been hurt.”

 “Shouldn’t that be something you do outside?”

 “Honestly?” he looked pained as he asked

 “Yes.”

 “I’m not very good so someone, me, had to keep going and retrieving the knives from wherever they ended up, and they had to stick me in a field by myself so I didn’t hurt anyone.” He had a cringing look on his face

 “Can’t they ricochet off the wall in here?”

 “They’re only small daggers, see.” He pulled a couple out of a cupboard and proceeded to throw them at the target. One lodged in the padding and two lodged in the corners of the wood, nowhere near the bull’s eye

 “Geez you _are_ terrible.” Danneel said with a smile as she went to retrieve the knives.

 “It’s not as easy as it looks you know.” He defended

 “Ok.” She humoured him

 “Stop smiling like that”

 “Like what?” she looked at him with pure innocence

 “You give it a go then.”

 “Ah no.”

 “Why? Worried I might show you up?”

 “Really? I would have to throw it out a window to do worse then you.”

 “Big words for a girl.”

            Danneel turned to the wall and threw all three knives in quick succession, one hit the bull’s eye, and the other two were very close.

 “What the...”

 “Sorry.” She shrugged embarrassed

 “Sorry? What for? How do you know how to do that?”

 “I don’t know, I’ve just always been good with direction. I didn’t mean to show you up”

 “Well no one was here to see it so my manliness is still intact but let’s put the knives away and get down to what you are really here for.”

 “To keep your ego intact, how am I doing so far?” she asked innocently and Jensen burst out laughing.

 “So what’s your usual role? What do you usually do for people you’re assisting?”

 “Any and everything, within standards, to make your life run smoother. I draw the line at anything immoral, illegal or will get me in the tabloids. I’m here to work in the background to make your life easier but am invisible to everyone else. Where’s your mobile phone?”

 “Which one?”

 “How many do you have?”

 “Three.”

 “Good God why?”

 “One’s a work phone, one’s for friends and family and one was given to me by Joanna so she can get me at all times.”

 “Which I accept is completely necessary while you are planning a wedding. Give me all three phones.”

 “Why?”

 “While you are on set I’ll keep your work phone with me and divert your other two phones to that one. I am not walking around with five phones on me. That is beyond a joke.”

 “How many do you have?”

 “Two, work and personal.”

 “Joanna...”

 “Look you’ll just to explain to your fiancé that I’ll be answering your calls while you’re on set and that if it is a matter of life and death to let me know and I will come and find you no matter where you are.”

 “Ok, to be honest that will be a bit of a relief, she can get a little obsessive sometimes.”

 “Well once the stress of the wedding is out of the way I’m sure that will die down and things will be back to normal.”

 “Here’s hoping.”


	3. An Airport Incident

Exiting the baggage area of the airport in LA that Friday afternoon after a chaotic week where everything was held up by bad weather and when it finally cleared they filmed for almost twenty hours straight, a twenty hours which had Danneel on set trying to help in any way possible; they were greeted by a physically exuberant fiancé who threw herself, screaming, into Jensen’s exhausted arms, much to the delight of the waiting paparazzi. Danneel was jostled aside by the swirling bunch and then panicked as fans swarmed to join the mix also.

            She grabbed her phone and rang Jensen’s bodyguard they had somehow gotten separated from at the baggage claim, and one word from her had him dropping his bags and calling airport police as he came barrelling to their side. By now there were close to a hundred people and it turned into a screaming melee when Jared unknowingly walked through the gate also, almost swamping his unsuspecting girlfriend of the moment.

            Danneel was abandoned by Jensen and his bodyguard as they carried out their obviously practiced escape strategy and was caught in the swarm of screaming fans as they surged towards the stars pushing for the exit. She felt herself being hit and shoved before she tripped over something or someone and fell to the ground and the screaming girls continued charging literally around or over her; it was Jared’s bodyguard who indelicately scooped her up and dumped her in an airport chair before carrying on with trying to disperse the crowd.

Jensen, Jared and Jared’s girlfriend had baseball caps and sunglasses on but Joanna was basking in the flashes, turning and smiling and waving. The body guards and police formed a circle around them and slowly ushered them to the exit where a limousine, obviously Joanna’s, was waiting.

Once Danneel saw the bodyguards climb in with the stars of the hour and the crowd disperse she went and retrieved the bodyguards’ luggage and then with the help of another crew member went and found Jensen’s car. It was parked next to Jared’s and she smiled at the other crew member who was retrieving that vehicle. Jensen had given her a spare set of keys to his house and car and though at the time it had seemed odd, she was grateful now as she headed home; too tired to even appreciate the large and luxurious SUV she was in control of. Now that the adrenalin of the situation had worn off her body started aching where she had been shoved and she felt like she had been hit in the face although she did not remember it at the time. She just wanted to get home to a hot shower that had real pressure and a bed she could turn in without banging her arms and legs against a wall.

           

The next morning, Danneel, wearing barely tinted sunglasses, greeted Jensen at the door of her house after one of his security staff dropped him off to retrieve his car.

 “That was crazy yesterday.” Danneel made conversation as she grabbed her handbag off the hall table where she had dumped it last night.

 “Joanna does like the attention but that has never happened before. Usually we manage to sneak through unnoticed.”

 “Do you think she did it because I was with you? Maybe it was a test?”

 “No Jo’s not that insecure or that clever to be honest. I think she just came out to get me and took advantage of the waiting photographers.”

 “Where are the damn keys?” Danneel muttered impatiently, embarrassed that Jensen was standing there watching and waiting, and instinctively took off her sunglasses to look through her Bermuda triangle of a handbag.

 “What the hell?” Jensen shouted and she looked up at him to see what he was yelling about

 “What?” she asked, alarmed at his tone of voice

 “What? Your eye is what! What the hell happened?”

 “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

 “When did that happen?” Jensen growled and pictured all the ways he was going to tear that French lothario apart if he did this to her, if there was one thing he hated it was men that used their strength against the weaker sex and he didn’t know why but he felt protective of her.

 “Last night.” She muttered as she quickly put the sunglasses back on

 “Last night? At the airport?” he frowned in confusion as she nodded her head silently.

Now that he thought about it he had completely abandoned her when the crowd turned wild and he had left her to fend for herself. He and Jared, both well over six foot and gym regulars, had been surrounded by burly security and airport police and Danneel, who was short enough to have to crank her neck to look up at him if not in stilettos, had been left to fight through a mob of screaming fans unprotected. He felt like a complete ass for leaving her defenceless like that and obviously she hadn’t gotten away as unscathed as he thought she would have had he put any thought into it at all. He was not used to having the responsibility of another person. He didn’t have that with Joanna because she had her own security staff

 “I’m an ass” he growled

 “No you’re not. The studios said that never happens so I wasn’t prepared.”

 “What else?” he asked as he stepped forward and took her sunglasses off so he could examine her eye

 “Nothing.” She muttered, she could see that he was angry at himself and did not want to make it any worse

 “Danneel?” he warned and unconsciously rubbed his thumb along the bruise on her face while brushing her hair away so he could get a better look at the damage. Danneel blushed and dropped her handbag with the sensations that rocketed through her body with that one touch

 “Just a few bumps and bruises and a scraped knee. I’ll be better prepared next time.” She muttered as she stepped away from him and bent down to retrieve her bag. She heard him swear again and knew that her shirt had risen enough for him to see the bruise across her back; Danneel had seen it in the mirror this morning and thought it looked like a foot mark. Thank God tweeny fans didn’t wear heels or it could have been very ugly.

 “There won’t be a next time.” He growled as he pulled his mobile out of his pocket.

 “You better come through and have some coffee then.” Danneel sighed with resignation at the look of determination on his face and led him into her kitchen.

            After she handed him a mug of coffee, black with no sugar, she sat at her kitchen bench sipping from her own mug while watching him pace and listening to him yell for ten minutes at studio bosses, including her father, for letting that chaos happen. Amongst the swearwords she gathered he was asking for more protection if that mob was going to become a common occurrence. From his one side of the conversation she gathered that airport security had already rung and voiced their concerns. He then hung up, paced some more and dialled again, when Joanna answered he yelled at her for doing something stupid to attract attention.

 “You don’t understand Joanna, because of your stunt innocent people got hurt.” Joanna must have asked who, “I’m at Danneel’s house and she has a black eye Joanna......I care Jo, she’s my assistant and I have to offer some kind of protection for her if you are going to continue doing stupid...” that was as far as he got before she started screaming down the phone at him. Danneel started hunting through her handbag for his keys again, feeling awkward that she was in the room while he was having this conversation with his fiancé and trying to look like she wasn’t listening. Jensen poured himself another coffee, topped Danneel’s mug up, and sat down next to her while he continued to let his fiancé rant.

            While she waited for Jensen to get off his call her phone rang and it was her father asking if everything was ok. She moved to the other end of the kitchen while she gave him a run down on her injuries since Jensen had made it sound worse than it was and then told him not to tell her mother and that everything was fine.

 “Who was that?” Jensen asked as they hung up their phones together

 “Edward Graul.”

 “Graul has your mobile number?”

 “Don’t the studios have everyone’s numbers?”

 “Was he asking about last night?”

 “He just wanted to make sure I was ok.” Danneel said with a casual shrug.

 “This is quite a relaxing house you have here Danneel.” Jensen changed the subject although something did not seem right about one of the executives ringing his PA just to make sure she was ok.

            He looked around the bright white kitchen with stainless steel accessories, white kitchen bench on a light wood base, pine wood stools matched the dining setting and one wall across the back was a bright ocean blue.  The tiles on the floor were white also but she had large bamboo mats breaking the harshness of it

 “Are you being sarcastic? Yeah it’s small but it’s all I need.”

 “Don’t get me wrong, I like it, but it’s a little bare, it needs some personality.”

“I have plants, they are on loan to my parents until I finish this assignment and my next door neighbour adopted my goldfish. The house is in hibernation.”

 “You don’t have someone who comes in and looks after the place while you’re away?”

 “No I don’t get paid the big bucks like you do. Do you want some breakfast?”

 “No I’m on my way to my parents for brunch then I have those meetings regarding the movie this afternoon then that charity dinner tonight.”

 “I’ve been thinking it’s not fair you have to use your time off to go to those meetings. If these guys really want you in this movie they should be coming to you. Tell them to do whatever they need to do at the start of the week than on a Thursday night come to you and you can have a meeting in your trailer, around your shooting. You should be able to relax and spend time with your family and your fiancée on the weekends, especially when you are shooting away from them.”

 “That’s a great idea.”

 “That’s what I get paid for, to make your life easier.”

 “Them’s some heavy books you got on your table there.”

 “It’s for my uni course. I study part time at the moment.”

  “So you just got on your high horse about how I need time off and yet you spend your spare time in tomes.”

 “It’s my decision and I have to, to meet my assignment times.”

 “You don’t bring these on set?”

 “No, I’m on set to work with you.”

 “Yeah but there is all that time when I am actually filming.”

 “And that is when I am working with the television studios, the movie studios and your management team so that I’m ready for when you come to the trailer. Surely you’ve noticed how more organised things are and how little you have to do at night now.”

 “I know but you’re there twenty four hours a day, five days a week, this could be something you do in your time off from me.”

 “Well if this week is anything to go by there isn’t much time off from you, you’re pretty full on.”

 “Yeah it is crazy at the moment but still...”

 “What time do you have to be at your parents?” Danneel asked, he glanced at his watch, muttered a swear word and stood up as the door bell rang

            Jensen walked down the hall with Danneel following and opened the door to find Riley standing there with a huge bunch of red roses, he was smiling but it faltered when he saw Jensen and Danneel standing together inside her house

 “For me, you shouldn’t have.” Jensen gushed theatrically

 “I didn’t, they’re for Danneel.” Riley frowned

 “He knows that Riley, he’s making a joke.” Danneel sighed

“What is he doing here at this time on a Saturday morning anyway?” Riley asked possessively

“He is picking up his car that I drove home last night because he went with his fiancé.”

 “And I’m just leaving.” Jensen said with raised eyebrows, silently signing for Riley to step out of the way so he could

 “Danneel your eye.” Riley gasped and pushed past Jensen in the narrow hall to get to her. He cupped her face to look but it had no where the effect Jensen’s touch had on her and Danneel sighed again.

 “See ya Monday.” Jensen said as he headed out the door

 “Wait Neanderthal, did you do this to her?” Riley demanded as he spun Jensen around

 “What did you just say to me?” Jensen snarled as he stepped towards the actor

 “Riley, Jensen did not do this, it happened at the airport last night. Jensen I’ll see you on

Monday.” Danneel stepped between the two of them and Jensen turned away

 “I told you it was a ridiculous idea for a fine woman like you to be out in the back woods with these lumberjacks.” Riley deliberately said loud enough for him to hear

 “You listen to me you prissy little...” Jensen spun and launched up the steps again

 “Jensen!” Danneel snapped

 “...this did not happen out in the backwoods with us, it happened at the airport by a group of fans. And do not call me a lumberjack, because, you preened peacock, let me remind you that my show is still running while yours is in the dust.” he was in Riley’s face and Danneel had to give points to Riley for not taking a step back; testosterone was a marvellous thing.

 “You should be taking better care of her. She is your responsibility.” Riley said with a poke in Jensen’s chest

 “Well we agree on that, it shouldn’t have happened and I’ve made sure that it won’t happen in future” Jensen stepped back into a more relaxed stance

 “You can go now, I will look after her.” Riley dismissed Jensen who straightened up again and opened his mouth to retaliate but was beaten to the punch

 “He can what? You’ll what? I don’t think so! You can both go. You can take your flowers and your chauvinistic act Riley and get out and Jensen? Do not go around insulting the people in my life. You don’t know Riley and you have no right to judge him, and that goes for you too Riley . Now get out both of you.” Danneel snapped, angry at the way they had talked over her like she was some child that needed special care, could not make her own decisions or could not look after herself; and hustled them towards the door. Riley muttered and grumbled as he left but Jensen just looked at her with a smile on his face and gave her a wink as he got into his car and drove off. Once he had left Riley relaxed and started heading back up the stairs, thinking she had been putting on an act.

 “I mean it Riley. Go.” She said and slammed the door closed. She tried not to be the stereotypical red head but sometimes her temper just got the better of her.

******

            The next week on set seemed to go smoothly, if Danneel ignored her increasing attraction towards this man.  There was no doubt there should be some kind of warning about how good Jensen looked in jeans but that seemed to be just a bonus on top of everything she was learning about him. He rang his parents most nights and had friends outside the acting business that he kept in contact with. He donated his time and money to a number of kid’s charities and had tried, very hard, to reply to everyone who emailed him, although it had got too much and his web page was almost crashing with the number of emails he had there. They had spent a number of nights going through all the emails, just answering ones that seemed more serious and binning the rest; starting from scratch.

Movie scripts seemed to show up almost daily for him to read and then there was all the hoopla that went with this series they were filming now.

            They had started a routine last week where every day late in the afternoon Jared and Jensen would sit down for a couple of hours and read over their lines for the next day or that night if they were going out again while eating and then Danneel would let them know what was coming up to promote the show, be it photo shoots, interviews or charity functions. As much as she was here for Jensen, with this show most of their public appearances were together so she was unofficially working with Jared as well. After Jared left they would then go over emails, read more lines if Jensen didn’t feel comfortable or just handle all the email or phone communication that was required just to be Jensen Ackles, including his agent and the studios; or if he was going back out again to film, Danni would go on set to watch and go through urgent things with him between takes.

 “What do you mean you’ve never watched it?” it was the middle of the week and Jensen spun around from the dining table to stare at Danneel sitting on the couch. Only ten minutes ago he had come out of the bathroom fully dressed but with hair damp and smelling of his woody cologne. He had a shadow of stubble on his face and had on tracksuit pants that were sitting low on his hips and a shirt that clung to his slightly damp muscles. Danneel had moved away from the table they were meant to be sharing for her own self preservation.

 “It’s not my thing.” She shrugged

 “Supernatural is not your thing?” shock radiated across his face

 “No. Sorry but I don’t watch scary shows, I don’t do horror, I don’t even do psychological thrillers, that’s not my thing.”

 “It’s not scary.”

 “Jensen I have seen the promotions and the previews and it _is_ scary.”

 “Danni it’s like a ‘who done it’ but with a ghost being the bad guy, not a person. There are some damn funny shows, some sad ones and some real brain teasers but it’s not horror.”

 “Ok.” She said and went back to reading her laptop.

 “Hey don’t patronise me. I have the first episode on disc around here somewhere and we’re going to watch it.”

 “Jensen I don’t want to watch it. I have to go back over to that little caravan that creaks and groans every time a breeze blows, I scare the poop out of myself as it is without you helping.”

 “It’s not scary and I will sit right beside you in case you freak out.”

 “We have a heap of work to do.”

 “It can wait til tomorrow.  It might be too sunny to work tomorrow anyway.”

 “You know that gets funnier every time you say it.  A show that is held up by the sun but surprisingly enough was held up last week by torrential rain.”

            Jensen slid the disk into the player and sat down beside her. They had a brief argument about lights on or off and Danneel won that one with the overheads blazing as the show rolled. The first quarter of the show was fine as the characters were introduced and you get a feel for them and the idea of the plot line but then, as Danneel began to relax, a woman in torn clothes and dried blood all over her shuffled on screen and reached towards the camera as she let out a blood curdling scream. Danneel closed her eyes and unconsciously moved closer to Jensen.

 “It’s ok she’s gone now.” Jensen laughed quietly and she opened her eyes again.

            After about another fifteen minutes a huge ghoul appeared on screen missing half his face and covered in blood and Danneel let out a little yelp before burying her face in Jensen’s shoulder.

 “Come on, that’s Derek, you had lunch with him the other day.” Jensen laughed but by now Danneel was gripping his arm and watching the show through one eye while other was still closed and covered by Jensen’s shirt.

            Eventually the credits finally rolled and Danneel felt herself relax, she then blushed scarlet when she took in their positions. Jensen was relaxed on the couch with his legs stretched out in front of him and she was almost lying on top of him while gripping his arm and resting her head on his shoulder.

 “See you made it through the episode.” Jensen said and turned his head to look at her, putting his absolutely kissable lips way too close to hers; sitting this close, Danneel could feel when he realised the intimacy of the moment, his breathing got shallow and she watched as his pupils dilated in response to her nearness. The room was literally crackling and his head started moving towards hers.

 “Um just.” She muttered as she let go of his arm, “Sorry about using you as a blindfold.” She sat up and broke the spell.

 “Hey I told you I was here in case you got scared. That may not have been the best episode to watch, I forgot about the zombie in the middle there.”

 “You must think...Ahhh.” Danneel let out a frightened scream as the door of Jensen’s trailer was wrenched open

 “Hey what are you...oops sorry did I interrupt something?” Jared asked as he took in the scene in front of him.

 “No, no, not at all, Jensen was just making me watch your show and it scared me.” Danneel said as she scuttled away from Jensen and stood up

 “Maybe you should come and watch the next episode in my trailer?” Jared said with a jiggle of his eyebrows, “After all I’m not engaged and may be more accommodating”

 “Well that’s me done. Goodnight.” Danneel said and pushed past Jared thinking her face could probably light the way back to her caravan she was so embarrassed.

 “You are a moron man.” Jensen snapped at Jared as he watched her dash out.

 “Hey how was I supposed to know there was something going on between you two?” Jared said as he reached for a beer

 “Nothing is going on but both of us have to work closely with her in this environment where you can’t just get in a car and go home. Don’t make it anymore awkward then it already is.” “I don’t feel any awkwardness.” Jared shrugged

 “That’s because you have the sensitivity of a gnat.”

 “Maybe it’s because I don’t feel the tension around her that you do? Maybe I’m not trying to fight my attraction to her like you are? Maybe it’s because I don’t have to worry about Joanna cutting my junk off if she thought for a minute I was having a little somein somein on the side?”

 “Keep talking like that and I’ll cut your junk off.” Jensen snapped

 “I’m outta here. When you wake up and look around you come and talk man, I’m here and I got your back.”  Jared said with a salute of the beer bottle before slamming out the door

            Jensen dropped back onto a dining chair and cursed as he scrubbed his hand over his face. He could not deny he had felt something when Danneel had been close to him, not a major zip busting hard on but an awareness of her warmth and her rose perfume that always lingered in his caravan now. He had suddenly been acutely sensitive of her breasts pressed against him, her hand gripping him and her lips close and almost inviting to be kissed. He had wanted to know if they were as soft as they looked and if she tasted as warm as she seemed

            He was aware that people found him attractive, and he didn’t mean just women; there were pages and pages of photos of him on the internet, some doctored for the not so heterosexual of the world, but he had never been one to play the field. He had had a few girlfriends before Joanna but had decided he needed to settle down and have a home base, especially when he was on the road all the time. Joanna suited him and they were in the same profession so they knew the demands that happened in each other’s lives, the times they would need to spend apart for their art and the exaggerations that were created by the media. He did not want to be looking at Danni in any other way then his assistant and he didn’t want to be having these thoughts and these fantasies around her.  He was an engaged man and to remind himself of that he picked up his mobile to ring Joanna and hear her voice.


	4. First Kiss

The next morning Danneel got up and went jogging with the bodyguards. After that airport incident she had made the decision that she was not going to get caught like that again. She had always used the gym at the studio for cardio or yoga but now she signed up for kick boxing and self defence classes and the security boys were teaching her a few tricks while she was on location. Riley had joked about the incident that occurred on the Summer set but she had been trapped and scared when a drunk actor had used his height and weight against her and she had instinctively struck out in pure self defence hitting him in the face and accidentally braking his nose, there had been no training or bravado, just pure fear so while the story that went around Summer Mysteries kept her safe she knew she needed to be more prepared for what might come at her in the future.

                        After forty five minutes of running through cow paddocks and on dirt roads Danneel had relieved the tension in her body, calmed her mind and felt safe to be in close proximity to Jensen again; then she came around the corner of her caravan to find him and Roger lounging there. Roger jumped up when he saw her and came running and barking towards her and as she jogged over to Jensen he wrapped himself around her legs and Jensen had to catch her as she tripped                                               

 “Roger sit.” He snapped as he put Danneel away from him

 “Hey thanks, what’s up?” she gasped out as she tried to ignore the basketball shorts and worn singlet he was wearing, showing off his well toned legs, tight guns and ripped abs. This was so not fair; she had just calmed herself down and she could only imagine what she looked like. Perspiring, red in the face and hair curling and untamed, why could she never get it right? She bet Joanna never had a hair out of place, even after a gym session. And then she asked herself why did she care what the engaged man in front of her thought?

 “I have a few lines I wanted to go over while I ran but I see you’ve already been.” Jensen looked like he was unhappy that she hadn’t waited for him although she’d never gone with him before and didn’t even know he knew about her morning routine.

 “No its cool, let me grab the script and a bike, I’ll ride beside you.” Danneel said feeling like she had dropped the ball

 “Thanks Danni.”

 “Don’t thank me that’s what I’m here for.” She said with a smile as she looked back at him.

Jensen watched her as she jogged off, Roger following her, and he again felt that same stirring of male appreciation he was suddenly so aware of and could not seem to dampen. She was in a cropped Lycra exercise top and leggings that hugged her in a way he almost wanted to; he could not see any panty line and he thought he saw the start of a tattoo peeking over the top of her pants, both were putting some fantastic ideas in his head. Her scent had wafted around him, stronger with the heat radiating off her body, her hair had been up in a pony tail but was escaping in curly tendrils and her face had been flushed with the exertion, highlighting the dusting of freckles she had across her nose. As she came back around the corner on a mountain bike Jensen shook his thoughts from his head before his body got to the point where it would be impossible for him to run and also made it noticeable to everyone around him what he was thinking; and brought his mind back to the character he played, which at this point didn’t help much because his character was a bit of a lady’s man also.

******

“Roger Dodger” Jensen called that night as he opened his trailer door. Man’s best friend was sitting on the couch with Danneel and he lifted his head and smiled at him before dropping it back onto her feet in contentment.

 “Now there is the greeting a man wants to see from his loyal pet.” He said derisively.

 “He can’t help it; he knows he’s doing a great community service by keeping my feet warm.”

 “No he is completely infatuated by you and you have ruined him.” Jensen tried to joke as jealousy for his own dog ran through him. He imagined he was Roger, curled up on the couch with her, having his hair played with, licking....

 “Um I’m going to jump in the shower” he said as he spun away and towards the bathroom before she could see his body’s reaction to his own overactive imagination. What the hell was wrong with him, he was an engaged man, he hardly knew this woman at all and it was his dog for Christs sake, not another man. Jensen pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it in his clothes basket. His jeans rode low on his hips and when he unclasped the button they sank low enough for Danneel to read the designer label across the band of his underwear. She turned away and picked up the script she had been enjoying a few minutes ago but now could be written in another language.

 “Finished for the night?” she called to him through the crack of the bathroom door, they had conversed like this before, she couldn’t see anything, but right at this moment, Jensen found it very intimate and he gave a silent groan as his body twitched. For a brief moment he thought of grabbing his dick and taking care of the situation but she was right there and the door was partially and he was engaged to another woman and, and, and. He sighed and concentrated on her no nonsense voice.

 “Finally, that last scene was a fucking killer and Jared kept cracking up every time the demon lunged in the house.” He consciously breathed in and out and started a mundane conversation

 “Why?”

 “He thought the guy looked like Fonzi after an argument with a chain saw and kept making Happy Day jokes. He had his new girlfriend on set so I think he was just showing off.”

 “What happened to the last new girlfriend?”

 “I think she freaked out at what happened at the airport.”

 “Want me to go grab you something to eat and then we’ll go over your lines?”

 “Yeah that would be great. A hamburger with the lot would hit the spot about now.”

            Danneel rang the caterers to put in the request as well as a salad for herself and then headed out into the cool air with Roger. She was still trying to build up an immunity to his charms and his body when he was fully clothed so when he did things like unconsciously strip off in front of her, her mouth started to water and when she imagined what he looked like in the shower, hot and wet and soapy with his shower gel scenting the room while she talked through the door at him, she decided it was safer to be somewhere else to get some fresh, cool air and a grip on her reality, which was that he was engaged to another woman and she was a single PA working on a post graduate degree in literature; and not just sit there in his trailer waiting for him to come out of the shower looking all damp and sexy.

This was ridiculous, she was a grown woman who always acted professionally and had never been in this situation on any of her assignments before; even Riley, who was absolutely stunning, hadn’t distracted her from her goals. She had had relationships in the past and they had fit into her life like they should have, something that was to be enjoyed when she was not working or studying, someone to pass the leisure hours with and make love to but not be reliant on for her physical or psychological needs; around Jensen she found herself watching his face, observing his features and the expressions he made; she watched his large and work ready hands as they wrote or held scripts or toyed with something inconsequential; she watched his legs, always encased in jeans as if denim was created just for him and his butt, as they stretched out in front of him or jigged up and down if he was frustrated or impatient. All these little things she noticed and she kept telling herself she had to notice them so she could perform her role as PA professionally, being prepared for his moods and his needs, it had nothing to do with how her body hummed around him or how she imagined those lips tasting hers, those hands cupping her or those legs wrapped around her. Danneel let out a frustrated groan and jogged over to the catering tent, Roger running and barking beside her thinking it was a game, completely ignorant to the fact she was trying to outrun her own demons.

 

            The next night Jensen hung out at Jared’s trailer with him and the girlfriend of the week, relaxing over a few beers, giving both him and Danneel a night off from work. It was great to just sit back and joke and laugh; Danneel rarely strayed from work talk when it was just the two of them and although everything was running as smooth as silk he still knew nothing about her and felt as if she was uncomfortable around him although when Jared was in the room she laughed and joked with both of them. He wondered if he manifested the awkwardness in his own mind since he was so physically aware of her now or maybe she was interested in Jared and that is why the other side of her personality showed when he was around.

Then there was Riley who he knew rang and spoke to her a couple of times a week and she would blush and giggle before taking the call out of earshot, the same way she would leave his trailer if Joanna rang which meant if he had a lot of work to catch up on he would turn his phone off so they could get it done without her disappearing for the night. He sometimes wondered that she thought the two of them talked about on the phone, because it definitely was not as exciting as she was probably imagining; usually it consisted of Joanna’s work or wedding plans. He also wondered what she talked about on the phone with Riley although knew it could not be that exciting because she always returned after a short time. But then there were the times when he wondered if longer and more personal phone calls took place between them when he was on set and at night Riley was just calling to wish her a good night with sweet dreams full of him.

 “What’s going on?” Jared asked Jensen while they sat outside his trailer. The girlfriend had wandered off somewhere, bored with shop talk, which gave them a few minutes alone.

 “With what?” Jensen asked, feeling as if he had missed part of a conversation

 “You.”

 “What do you mean?”

 “Come on man I know you, we’re together eighteen hours a day and you have not been your usual chirpy self this week.”

 “Danneel.” Jensen admitted and felt a weight lifted just being able to say it out loud

 “Dude what do you mean? She’s great. She has made my life so much easier and she’s not even officially working with me.”

 “It’s not that, hell she’s a god send in that way but having her around all the time is starting to do my head in.”

 “What am I missing?”

 “The number of cold showers I have had to take this week.”

 “Oh.”

 “Yeah.”

 “So I was right the other night?”

 “I don’t know, maybe, that’s the first time anything like that has happened and it got me to thinking.”

 “You know engaged is not married right?”

 “What’s that got to do with anything?”

  “If you tap that before you get married it is not a mortal sin.”

 “I am engaged to Joanna, I love Joanna, I should not even be thinking about Danni the way I am.”

 “In what way?”

 “Every god damn way possible.” Jensen groaned

 “Dude.” Jared laughed

 “So what do I do?”

 “Three options, one is back to the cold showers and taking care of it yourself, second is, as I said, tap that, or thirdly get back to your fiancé and tap that as long and as hard as you can until you get Danni out of your mind.”

 “Yeah and then I come back next week and start all over again.”

 “Well then you are going to be having some great sex with your fiancé over the weekends. There is a fourth solution but selfishly I’m not saying it.”

 “Replace her?”

 “Replace her.”

 “Thanks for all your helpful advice man.”

 “Hey anytime. Bet you wish you hadn’t quit smoking now.”

 “Yep, almost, but you are not winning that bet man.”

 

Later that night he walked into his trailer to find his tormentor curled up on his couch asleep. Roger gave a quiet yip of welcome as he walked in the door and she slowly opened her eyes and smiled a sleepy and almost secret smile at him; Jensen may have almost survived that if she then hadn’t stretched her arms above her head making her shirt rise up and reveal her taut stomach, tanned skin and that teaser of a tattoo, before sitting up and brushing her mussed hair away from her flushed face. Jensen’s body got hard and he had to swallow before he could say anything, although for the life of him, he could not think of a thing to say to break this tension. He was still standing at the door staring at her and he could see when she picked up on the tension radiating from him; her eyes got wide and darted around the room as if looking for a way out and then she unconsciously licked her lips. 

That broke his control and he did not break eye contact as he walked over to her and bent down so his arms were on the head rest of the couch and she was trapped between them. Her eyes widened more and her pupils dilated as her tongue unconsciously came out again to wet her lips. Jensen let out a frustrated sigh and dropped his head to taste her for the first time. He tentatively brushed his lips across hers, once, twice, getting the feel of her before settling in to really taste her when she opened her lips on a whsiper; as soon as he had taster her he knew this almost platonic kiss was not enough and his tongue ran across the seam of her lips tempting her to open further so he could dive into her darkness.

When she succumbed to his invitation he inhaled her, she smelt of roses and moonlight and he was desperate to absorb her warmth. Danneel’s hands slid up and she fisted them in his shirt as if to hold him where he was; she let out a little whimper and her tongue slid forward to tangle with his.  Jensen groaned and one of his hands came forward, tangling in her hair to hold her head in place and manoeuvre it so he could get full and deeper access to the heat she was offering. All of sudden Danni was wrapping her arms around him and running her own fingers through his hair as their tongues entwined in a sensual battle and she met him taste for taste, nip for nip and plunge for plunge. Jensen thought he was going to explode out of his jeans and he pulled away from her so he could inhale some oxygen.

            They were like a frozen tableau as they stared at each other, their chests heaving as they inhaled much needed oxygen and then Jensen saw the iridescent opals of her eyes fade back to emerald and her neck and face turn red with embarrassment, different to the pink it flushed when she was aroused he now knew

 “Oh God I’m sorry” she whispered as she looked at the floor and her hair fell over her face like a curtain, hiding her from his gaze; she was so ashamed she could feel the heat radiating from her skin

 “What are you sorry for?”

 “Kissing you like that, I had just woken up and I wasn’t thinking.”

 “And what’s my excuse?” he said with a teasing smile as he tilted her head up and brushed her hair away from her face so he could see her.

 “You have had too much to drink. I could taste it on you.” She said and blushed again

“So that’s your story and you’re sticking to it?”

 “Yes. You are engaged to Joanna and up until now I have been very professional in every position that I have filled. I understand if you want to report this to Mr Graul and have someone else sent out here. What I did was completely uncalled for.”

 “Danneel calm down it was just a kiss and I was as much to blame as you were, more, I started it. Put it down to curiosity. We have been working very closely together for the last couple of weeks so we were bound to test the boundaries of this relationship.”

 “This isn’t a relationship.”

 “This is a working relationship and we can go back to that now, having satisfied our curiosity.”

            Danneel got up, brushed past him and walked out into the cool night air. He may say that his curiosity was satisfied but her appetite certainly wasn’t, her nipples were painfully tight and her body was vibrating with the promise of something that would have been fantastic, she knew that just from the kiss that had turned her on more than any foreplay she had ever had. This was bad, bad, bad. She cursed and swore all the way back to her trailer where she packed her bag and hopped into one of the rental cars. She had to get as far away from the temptation of Jensen as possible and she kept muttering the same line over and over to bring herself back to this world, “He is engaged to Joanna, he is marrying Joanna”

            Jensen watched Danni walk out of his door and held himself back from following her. He needed to calm his body down before he could even move yet alone have a sensible conversation with her. He could not believe either of them had reacted like that. It had been pure curiosity that had him approaching her but he could not have predicted the hurricane of sensations that swamped him any more than he could have predicted that under that cool and calm exterior was a volcano of heat waiting to erupt, even as he had that thought a part of his anatomy twitched again and he headed for the cold shower to try and calm himself down while he muttered “I am engaged to Joanna, I love Joanna”.

 

            The fact that Jensen wasn’t needed on set the next day was a gift from heaven so after a sleep in, another cold shower after some great dreams last night and a strong coffee; he headed over to Danneel’s caravan to talk some sense into her.

 “She’s gone Jensen.” One of the camera guys said when he saw him knocking on her door

 “Gone?” He felt his stomach knot

 “Yeah she flew out late last night, said she had some stuff to do back at the studios before the weekend. She talked like you knew about it. Said you had the day off today so you wouldn’t need her.”

 “Thanks Rob.” Jensen said as he pulled his mobile out of his pocket and speed dialled her number. It went to voicemail and he had to resist the temptation to throw the instrument across the yard.

The studios had employed Danneel as a buffer between him and Joanna, he was aware that he had been making mistakes before she showed up; he had been absent minded as he felt himself panicking over what he had taken on but that wasn’t just Joanna, that was the movie also; and he wasn’t stupid, the studio had to protect their assets, but now it seemed sending Danneel to solve the other problems had created another torment and a more confusing problem, for him at least.

******

            Danneel flopped down across the king size bed and looked up at the woman stretching herself after an aerobics workout

 “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

 “Thanks mum, feeling the love.”

 “Sweetie I haven’t seen you in the middle of the day in the middle of the week in years. Aren’t you meant to be on a set somewhere saving the world, one actor at a time?”

 “I am well aware of your opinion on that.”

 “Your father says you are a natural at smoothing waters and that’s great but in the mean time you are putting your post doctorate on hold to keep the egotistical and self inflated people of the world happy.”

 “Mum do I have to get this lecture again? Its only temporary and I’m helping dad out.”

 “You were only meant to be doing this for one semester and that was over two years ago.”

 “And I am still studying.”

 “One unit at a time.”

 “Ok.” She snapped in frustration.

 “Ok sorry honey, why are you here?” 

 “I needed some time away from the egotistical people of the world.”

 “And you came to me?”

 “Yeah I thought it would be relaxing.” She snorted

 “Remember that I gave birth to you and know you better than anyone in the entire universe.”

 “Ok, alright, fine so I need to talk to someone and here I am.” She said as she rolled over on her back and put a pillow over her face

 “Must be serious if you came to me and not your friends.” Her mother said as she lifted the pillow off her daughter’s head and brushed her hair out of her face.

 “I ask my friends about clothes or music but you know I come to you if it needs any thought because you know me better than anyone in the entire universe”

 “Thanks baby, I love you too.” Her mum kissed her fingers and placed them on Danneel’s cheek

 “You’re also my conscience and the voice in my head when I may be doing something wrong.”

 “And are you doing something wrong at the moment?”

“I kissed the man I am working with, a television star who is engaged to another woman.”

 “It was just a kiss.” Her mother shrugged

 “There was nothing ‘just’ about this kiss mum, poems could have been written about this kiss.”

 “So it was a good kiss?”

_“Humid seal of soft affections, Tend'rest pledge of future bliss, Dearest tie of young connections,  
Love's first snow-drop, virgin kiss”_

 “You’re quoting Robert Burns.”

“It was a stop the world and watch stars explode kiss.”

 “And the problem is?”

 “I kissed the man I am working with, a television star who is engaged to another woman.” Danneel repeated her first sentence

 “You know your father was engaged to another woman when we met.”

 “Yeah but that is just you and dad mum, normal nobodies living in the real world, this is someone who has huge star potential and a hell of a lot of media watching every single move he makes especially since he announced his engagement.”

“Nobody is a nobody Danneel; everybody means something to someone and is important to someone. It doesn’t matter what the studio builds this man up to be, he is still just a man.”

Danneel felt herself relax, this was why she had come here, to have things put into perspective

 “You know I didn’t mean anything derogatory by that mum. I just didn’t know how to word it, I don’t seem to know how to do anything right these days”

  “Honey I know when you are stressed you say irrational things. I know you love us and we are your family and that is why you are here talking to your mother.”

 “I am here because I know my friends would say ‘Ooh Jensen Ackles, you should do him’ just because he is famous and that’s not me. I’ve been around celebrities my whole life so I’m not awe struck by them and besides I need to feel something to sleep with someone, I have never been one to just scratch an itch.”

 “I know sweetie and in some ways that is a good thing and a bad thing”

 “How?”

 “Well I know your father and I brought you up the right way but between you and me, and if you tell your father I said this, I will say you were delusional, sometimes there is nothing like letting your animal instincts take over and having wild and passionate sex with a man you don’t know and will never see again just because he has an ass you could bounce a coin off. Always using protection of course.”

 “Mum first Eww, I hope that was not how I was conceived and I did not need to hear you say that and secondly this is not a one night stand, this a man who I see most days of the week and yet again need I remind you he is engaged.”

 “Engaged isn’t married sweetie.”

 “How would you feel if I was engaged to someone who was having this conversation with his father?”

 “I would say he is not good enough for you.”

 “What am I going to do?”

 “Do you want me to ring your father and tell him to take you off this job?”

 “No, I don’t need my mum to ring up my boss for me. I don’t want to let this beat me. I am good at my job; hell I stayed with Estelle when no one else in the entire world could. I don’t want to be a failure just because I can’t control my hormones”

 “So you go back to set and see what happens. Maybe he wants to completely forget about it also and things can go back to normal. Sometimes when men and women work together they have to have that first kiss to get it out of the way and then they continue on as if nothing happened.”

 “Yes but they obviously didn’t share a kiss that had my toes curling and the hairs on my arms standing on end.”

 “Sweetie you’re giving me conflicting stories here. I don’t know what you want me to do or say right at this minute”

 “You’re right mum, I will not let this beat me. I’ll go back and see how it goes tomorrow and if it is completely uncomfortable then I’ll confess to dad and make a decision.”

 “You know you can do no wrong in the eyes of your father.”

 “I’m sure I’ll do something someday that will ruin me to him.”

 “And sweetie, I did love the man you were conceived with, it just wasn’t to be.”

 “I know mum, you have told me hundreds of times and besides I couldn’t ask for a better father than dad.” She gave her a kiss on the cheek before bouncing off the bed and heading out the door.

            After Danneel left her mother googled the name her daughter had accidentally blurted out in her rant, and after looking at about five images her mother let out a sigh and shut the computer down; if that is what that man looked like in photos her daughter was in big trouble and fighting a losing battle, she knew her daughter’s type and had just seen the image of her perfect man.

 

Danneel climbed out of her car at her house with the intention heading back to the set but when she got there she found Jensen sitting on her front step. He had his feet up, he was reading a movie script and there was a pile beside him, she could not tell if they had been read or were in queue.

 “Hi.” She said quietly

 “Hi yourself.” He said as he moved his legs and she dropped down beside him.

 “What are you doing here?”

 “Well you weren’t answering your phone and I wanted to talk to you before you did anything stupid so, since I had the day off, I got on a plane.”

 “Anything stupid like get your name tattooed on my butt?”

 “Well I meant quit but yes tattooing my name on your ass could be construed as stupid.”

 “I have seen your website Jensen I would not be the first person to have your name or your face in indelible ink on me somewhere.”

 “Yes but you’re a sane person and they are obsessed, deluded and slightly psychotic fans.” He said as he rose up off the step and held out his hand to help her up

 “I didn’t quit.” She said as he pulled her up

 “Good. It was just a kiss Danni.” He continued holding her hand

 “It was a pretty good kiss.” She said matter of factly

 “It was better than pretty good but we have to work together and I’m engaged to Joanna so I know I can act like a grown man and continue to work with you if you are willing to do the same. Until I ruined it by molesting you we were working pretty well together, my life was so organised I could sleep at night and I am being completely selfish when I say I don’t want to give that up so what do you say?” he said as he dropped her hand

 “Promise?”

 “Danni I am an engaged man but I am still just a man, I’m not going to shake on something I can’t one hundred per cent promise.” He said with a smile, “I’ll see you next week”

“I was just coming home to grab my bag but if you don’t need me I can stay home and study.”

“Well I’ve just had my day taken from me, they need me back on set.”

“Let me grab a bag.”

 “We don’t need to take two cars, I’ll wait and we can go back together.”

 “How long had you been waiting for?” Danneel asked Jensen as they drove to the airport

 “A little while but I thought it was important enough to wait for.”

 “Geez you must have been desperate to keep me.”

 “I think Jared would kill me if I came back without you and Roger would probably disown me.”

 “So are they going to talk when we get back to set, especially since we’ll arrive together?” Danneel asked Jensen as they walked through the airport. He had automatically grabbed her bag with his and had his arm in the small of her back as he directed her to the gate they needed.

 “No, no one will have even noticed.” He said sarcastically and they burst out laughing


	5. Hitting a Convention

Jensen, Jared, their two agents, three body guards and Danneel sat in the back of the stretch limousine, no one was talking but she could feel the excitement humming through the atmosphere. Her dad had told her that it could be hazardous to be doing this but she was Jensen’s assistant so she would be there for him until her assignment was over

 “Have you ever been to one of these fan conventions before?” Jared asked her

 “No, I’ve heard of them but Summer Mysteries wasn’t in that genre.”

 “lt’s huge and there are like a gazillion people there; we’ve got back up but just stay close ok, we don’t want anything happening to you like at the airport.”

 “I’ve been told security is through the roof on this thing because the studio has so many actors there.”

 “Yeah but until you see it everything sounds like an over exaggeration.” Jared smiled at her

 “Where’s Joanna?” Danneel asked Jensen

 “She hates these things and she doesn’t get the best reception from these people. As far as they’re concerned we’re one of them and we’re theirs. They don’t like sharing so it’s best for all if she stays away.”

            The limousine slowed down as it came towards the convention centre and Danneel unconsciously slid closer to Jared as she saw the hundreds of people outside screaming and pushing up against the windows.

 “It’s ok. This is just a tease, we let them see us and then we go to the hotel, get dressed and then come back this evening.” Jared said as he put his arm around her in a comforting way.

            Danneel got shown to her hotel room. Jensen and Jared were sharing a suite but as much as her dad said he was looking out for her modesty, she assumed the thought of gossip mags knowing she was in the same room, was the reason she wasn’t in one of the bedrooms in there. Her bag was sitting there and the bell boy handed her a note as he left, she recognised her dad’s writing.

 

_**Check the wardrobe, you’ll find everything you need in there.** _

_**Be careful.** _

_**EG** _

            Danneel opened the doors to find clothes bags with little post it notes stuck to them telling her when to wear them. She pulled the itinerary out of her handbag and noticed tonight was a greeting evening where the guys were only on stage for fifteen minutes and then they went to a party with the other people from the studio as well as executives and fans who had paid a heap of money to rub shoulders with their favourite celebrities. She unzipped Friday’s bag to find a sequined back sleeveless top with a cowl neck line that was quite heavy, black jeans and black boots with a medium heel. Obviously stilettos were not the go for standing all night.

 

            Two hours later that was a knock at the door

 “Yeah come in.” She called from the desk where she had set up her lap top and was attempting to get her uni assignment started

 “Ready?” Jensen asked as he walked into the room. Danneel spun around and her breath caught as she looked at him. Beige chinos, a black shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black boots. His hair was more styled than usual, he had stubble; and he looked absolutely gorgeous. Danneel let out a curse and looked at her watch

 “Sorry, I was trying to get this damn assignment started.”

 “You don’t have to come.”

 “No, I’m your assistant. Give me ten minutes.” She said as she jumped up and kicked her shoes off. “I’m just going to have a quick shower.”

 “Ten minutes yeah right.” Jensen said sarcastically but the water was running. He sat on her bed and looked at the huge book she had open that she was working from. Something about the romantic era of writing and he looked at the huge flowery words used in poems to describe a man’s feelings towards his woman and snorted.

 “Jensen can you grab me the clothes bag out of the closet?” Danneel called through the cracked open bathroom door. They had been in this exact situation a number of times in his trailer but with the steam coming through the door carrying the scent of her floral shower gel Jensen shifted uncomfortably on the bed. Happy to move he jumped up and opened the closet door to see the bags set out with days written on them and, after grabbing Friday’s and passing it to the hand sticking through the door, he sat back down again and noticed a note on the ground that he picked up. So Ed Graul was supplying the clothes for Danneel this weekend, maybe he wanted to make sure she was appropriately dressed for the occasion, although he wouldn’t have thought that would be an issue for her. She was just the PA and also Jensen had never seen her inappropriately dressed for an occasion.

 “Ok I’m ready.” She said as she came out of the bathroom and Jensen looked at his watch. Seven minutes. She was pink, probably from the shower and rushing but she was fully dressed in a drop dead outfit with jeans that clung to her, her hair was twirled up in a clip and she had light make up on, not only unbelievable that she got ready in such a short time but that she looked absolutely gorgeous afterwards, “This will have to do, I’m just behind the scenes anyway.” She said as she grabbed her phone and handbag.

 “Seriously? You got ready in less than ten minutes and look stunning. Let’s go.” He said as he put his hand on her back to direct her out the door.

            The limo drove into the secure underground car park and the security staff got out and looked around before banging on the roof indicating everyone was allowed out. Once in the elevator up to the convention centre you could hear the buzz of voices but when the doors opened Danneel took a step back with noise that hit her.

            There was screaming and whistling, people yelling into microphones, music playing and just thousands of people all talking at once. And this was before she saw anyone, they were still in a restricted area and there were only organisers, celebrities and their hangers on in this area and very few of them were talking.

 “It’s ok. Come on.” Jared said and held out his hand. Danneel slipped hers into it and smiled. She stood behind the two actors but in front of the two burly security while the organiser gave them the rundown of when they would be going on, how long they would be on for, where to enter and where to exit. After that they just sat around and waited. Apparently Supernatural was one of the more popular shows so was going out towards the end of the night and the crowd was getting louder and more exuberant with each cast of actors that went through the curtain. The group before the boys had gone out and Danneel unconsciously slid closer to Jensen again when the noise almost made the lights shake.

 “Not good in crowds Danni?”

 “Not uncontrolled, hysterical crowds no. I had a preview at the airport remember.”

 “That can’t happen here. This whole thing is set up so they can see us and listen to us but not get close to us.”

 “Just be careful out there.” She said as she chewed on her lip

 “Danni there is nothing to worry about” he said as he put his thumb on her lips to stop her bruising them, “it is organised chaos and we are completely safe right Jared.”

 “Hell yeah we’re safe which is more than I can say for some of those unsuspecting perky little fans out there.”

 “Keep it in your pants Jay.” Jensen laughed.

            When Jensen and Jared got called on Danneel followed them to the edge of the back stage. She stood between the two security staff and she actually jumped behind one of them when the boys walked on stage. The screaming was actually hurting her ears and she put her hands over them in protection. She stood there and watched while the boys played it up for the fans. They laughed and joked, answered a few questions and talked about the show before getting the discreet signal to leave the stage. The crowd yelled and booed when they stood up but the boys reminded everyone they were there for the weekend and there was plenty of time to catch up. They talked to them all like they were personal friends with each of the thousands of people out there.

            After that they were back in the limo and back to the hotel the studio had everyone staying at, for the cocktail party at the roof top pool. This party had started after the first cast was returned here so it was pretty much in full swing by the time the Supernatural cast arrived. Danneel knew a lot of the people here from parties at her parents’ house and so she felt comfortable as she entered with a man on each arm.

 “Drink?” Jared asked

 “G & T please.”

 “Hmm?”

 “What?”

 “I would have put you down as a pink drink drinker.”

 “Bite me.” She answered and he walked off with a laugh.

 

 “Hey sweetie.” Her dad said as he came up behind her.

 “Hey dad, thanks for the clothes, didn’t trust me?” she said as she gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek

 “It was all your mother. All you do is work and study, she wanted you to have a treat. Apparently the clothes I picked out were too conservative.”

 “Well you are my dad, it would be a little weird if you were trying to dress me like a prostitute.”

  “Too true. Your mother is around here somewhere. Ah there she is.” He said and put his hand on the small of her back to direct her.

 

 “What do you make of that?” Jensen asked as he watched Edward Graul and Danneel hug and kiss

 “What do you mean?”

 “Well I didn’t think they knew each other that well?”

 “We all work at the same studio Jensen.”

 “He brought her a wardrobe of clothes for the weekend.”

 “Maybe that was part of the deal when she came to work for us. Maybe the studio want to make sure a standard is set.”

 “Yeah but Danni? Come on, does she look like someone who needs to be told what to wear?”

 “No but that might be because Graul is already doing that.”

 “Yeah but they seem very friendly.” Jensen said as he watched Edward wrap his arm around her and look down into her smiling face as he led her away.

 “Forget about Danni, she’s perfectly safe up here, I’m thinking the chick in the leather is looking pretty hot.”

 “Dude you better take it back to her place, I don’t want to put up with your jungle antics this weekend.”

 “Just cause you’re not getting any.” Jared said and walked off and Jensen turned to scan the crowd for Danneel again, frowning when he saw who she was wrapped around now.

 

 “Hello my Cheri.”

 “Riley what are you doing here?” Danneel said as she gave him a big smile and he scooped her up into a hug

 “I could tell you but then I would have to kill you. All will be revealed tomorrow. Come, drinks.” he said and took her hand to lead her away from her father and towards the bar.

 “No, no, no.” Danni said two minutes later as Riley tried to hand her a tequila shot.

 “Come on Cheri, one small shot.”

 “No.”

 “Everything ok here Danni?”

 “Ah the lumberjack.”

 “I’m fine Jensen.” Danneel said when Jensen looked like his answer would not be polite

 “Yes lumberjack you can go away to the drooling fans, I am taking very good care of Danneel.”

 “Hey pretty boy how about you got get your tights and pirouette out of here.”

 “Jensen we are fine, Riley cheers.” Danneel said and downed the tequila to divert his attention

 “Aha, cheers.” Riley answered in triumph and followed suit. Danneel held three fingers up to the bar tender and he brought over the bottle and another shot glass.

 “Jensen. Riley.” She handed them a glass each and picked up hers, “To work mates, friends, colleagues and lovers.” She said and threw back the shot. Jensen and Riley followed

 “I know which one of those I want to be.” Riley smiled as his finger wiped her lip where a drop of tequila lingered, Danneel took a quick step back and her eyes flew to Jensen. His smile said he knew what she was thinking and he gestured to the man behind the bar who filled the glasses again.

 “To the future that holds so many promises and mysteries.” Jensen said and they all swallowed the liquid.

 “What’s going on here?” Jared asked as he came over to the tense group.

 “Nothing, nothing at all.” Danneel said nervously as she took the beer out of his hand and drank to get the tequila taste out of her mouth. It was a gesture that seemed too familiar but Jared didn’t blink as he released it.

 “Danneel what have you been doing with these two men to have them hovering around like bees to a flower?” Riley pouted

 “Who’s the douche?” Jared asked Jensen

 “Riley this is Jared, Jared, Riley worked on Summer Mysteries.” Danneel answered

 “Ah the other lumberjack.” Riley said and Jared took one step closer and rose to his full height to tower over the much smaller man

 “What did you just say?” he growled menacingly

 “You work out in the back woods with him yes?”

 What the...”

 “Jared.” Danneel snapped

  “Who the hell is this guy?” Jared turned to Jensen trying to figure out why he was not on his ass already

 “Danneel’s been dating him.” Jensen replied while Danneel gestured to the bar keep again

 “This douche? Danneel and him. Nah man.”

 “Jared.” Danneel poked at him to get his attention. She noticed that a number of people were looking in their direction

 “What?” he snapped as he kept eye contact with a very uncomfortable looking Riley

 “Make a toast.” She handed everyone shot glasses

 “To keeping it real and not putting up with any BS.” Jared said and threw back the shot before taking a swig out of his beer bottle and handing it to Danneel so she could do the same.

 “Walk me to my room?” she asked Jared and his eyes widened before he smiled suggestively.

 “I’ll take you.” Riley said

 “No thank you.”

 “I’ll take you back.” Jensen snapped defensively

 “I asked Jared.”

“Excuse me gentlemen, duty calls.” He said with a smile before turning his back on the two men, putting his arm across her shoulders and leading her away.

 “You are only walking me to my room Jared, you are not coming in.” Danni said as they caught the elevator down

 “I know that Danni, I’m not stupid and I know what point you were trying to get across but it will give pretty boy something to think about and maybe Jensen too.”

 “What’s Jensen got to think about?”

 “Nothing.” Was his vague answer as he took her card from her and swiped her door open

 “Are you going back up?” she asked as he handed her the card back

 “Yeah there is still quite a bit of trolling to do now I know your virtue is safe. If someone tries to come in just hit them with that bloody big book you’ve got sitting on your bed.” Jared said before quickly bending to kiss her cheek and walking off again.

 

            The next morning Danneel was up early enough to get ready at her leisure and was about to open up one of her books when the phone rang.

 “Come and have breakfast with us sweetie.” She heard her mum’s voice say and headed down to the restaurant.

“Morning.” She said with a smile as she kissed her dad’s cheek, “where’s mum?”

 “She supposedly got called away to take a telephone call but I think she is just hitting the shops. Probably hoping you would distract me from noticing” He answered as he caught the attention of a waitress

 “Damn I could really use some retail therapy.”

 “I can call her.”

 “No this is a work weekend anyway. I have to stay with Jensen and Jared. This convention thing is crazy. I swear I saw someone dressed like a video game character last night & let me tell you it would take about three people to pull him out of the lycra he was squeezed into.”

“Yeah it’s full on. This is one of the biggest conventions of the year, this is why the boys come to this one. Ah your mother is on the phone now, probably to tell me about some emergency appointment she has to go to.” He winked at her and smiled while he answered his phone.

            Jensen walked into the restaurant and the first thing he noticed was Danneel and Edward Graul having breakfast. He watched as Edward winked at her and took a phone call and then watched as Danni playfully tried to take the phone from him and talk into the mouth piece while he swatted her away.

 “Don’t jump to conclusions man.” Jared said as he came up behind him.

 “Don’t know what you’re talking about. Nothing to do with me and hey if she’s on the inner with one of the execs it might make life easier for us. He’s not going to leave his little piece of fluff in the middle of the country without the comforts I’m sure she has come to expect in that position, maybe we’ll get some added bonuses.”

 “If that were the case Jensen I don’t think she would be in that sardine can she’s been living in for the last two weeks.”

 “Maybe that’s why her apartment is so empty. It’s generic for whoever is the flavour of the month this month.”

 “You’ve seen her place?”

 “Yeah when I picked up my car a couple of weeks ago. Nice but empty. Maybe she’s not allowed to personalise it.”

 “You’ve been watching too much of that crap your girlfriend acts in.”

 “Fiancé dude.”

 “Yeah whatever, stop jumping to conclusions. They both work at the studio, they are probably friends.”

 “With benefits.” Jensen said and nodded in their direction where Edward was now giving Danneel a hug, he then reached into his wallet and handed her a credit card. They watched as she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Jensen looked at Jared, Jared shrugged and gave a ‘beats me’ expression.

******

“Thanks dad.”

“You could join your mum and run amok if you want?”

 “No but I really do want to buy that book while I’m in town and I didn’t bring my wallet down.”

 “It’s ok sweetie, I wish you would let your mum and I do more for you. Hell, buy the whole book store if you want.”

 “Do not put ideas in my mind.” She said with a laugh before giving him a kiss on the cheek and heading off.


	6. Riley gets put in his place

            Danneel did not think she would ever get used to the organised chaos of this convention. The boys were now sitting around having a laugh and a chat with other actors that had parts on their show before they went on stage for the ‘SPN Panel’. This would take a while and Danni was in the background in case they needed anything.

            When they were announced and walked out on stage the walls literally shook with the screaming and shouting that occurred, even worse than last night. Danni put her hands over her ears before one of the bodyguards handed her a pair of ear plugs.

 “Doesn’t get any better, every time they open their mouths the fans scream. We usually set our phones to vibrate and put these in. We can still hear but at a manageable level.”

Danni put the ear plugs in and opened one of her books. It seemed surreal to be sitting back stage at a science fiction convention while reading the flowery words of men in the middle ages as they declared their undying affection to the maiden of their choice. To see on the large screen photos of Jensen semi naked before realising the woman he was about to bed was a demon and the man in the book confessing he stole the glove of the maiden in question as he was engulfed with the longing of the scent of this woman. She found herself reading and re-reading pages and in the end pulled out a highlighter and started marking sections that she thought were important so she would not have to read the same thing again and again. She was distracted by a tap on her shoulder

 “You are studying in this atmosphere?” He said as she pulled out her ear plugs

 “Hey Riley. I’m trying to study but the two worlds aren’t blending so good at the moment.”

 “It is romantic literature that you were studying if I am correct.”

 “Yeah and to read that while people around are dressed as aliens and demons is a little surreal.”

 “That is why you should not be working for these Neanderthals. I have been offered the option to star in another period drama. They are describing it as a blend of Sherlock Holmes, Summer Mysteries and Angel, that vampire show.”

 “Are you playing a vampire?”

 “No I am a sleuth who solves mysteries and sometimes the suspects aren’t always fully human.”

 “Estelle will have a fit if she finds out they are continuing in that genre without involving her.”

 “Estelle is gone. She is old and set in her ways. She could not handle a show such as this. I want you to come and work with me.”

 “Doing what Riley?”

 “I don’t know but I think this is more your kind of thing than working in the backwoods with cavemen. You could get a role on the show.”

 “Ah but I don’t want to be on television.”

 “Everyone wants to be a star.”

 “Not me. I just took the position with Estelle to help out Edward and now I got suckered by him again to do this. After this is over I am going to back to my boring and anonymous life as a uni student.”

 “So if I asked Mr Graul would he be able to convince you to join me?”

 “No Edward knows what I want and he will follow my wishes.”

“So what goes on with you and this Graul that he allows you to call him Edward? Do I have reason to be jealous?”

 “No.”

 “What about these cavemen? Any of them trying to get their grubby hands on you?”

 “Yes, both of them.”

 “What?” Riley eyes almost bugged out of his head

 “There is hot sweaty sex every night out there Riley. It’s the only thing we can do to entertain ourselves out in the back woods. Every night I have to make the hard decision of which one of those huge men will I do and sometimes it’s such a hard decision I do them both.”

 “Ah you jest with me.”

 “You think” Danni snorted sarcastically and her phone buzzed. “You and I went on one date Riley, maybe if I was here full time we could be having this discussion but I work out of a caravan five days a week and in the other two days I have to study my uni course and see my family and friends. If you want be part of that group casually that is fine but I do not have time in my life right now for someone to be banging their fists against their chests declaring ‘You are mine’. Now please excuse me.”

            Danneel walked on stage and handed Jensen the can of coke he requested and swapped Jared’s empty bottle of water with a full one. She tried to blend into the background but still got some wolf whistles from the geek fans. She turned to leave but right then Jensen looked up at her and then frowned and grabbed her wrist.

 “Everything ok?” he muttered. Being a red head she knew she was flushed from getting riled by Riley and even though she had a serene face she assumed she was still pink.

 “Fine.” She gave a quick smile which she knew did not reach her eyes. Jensen’s eyes slid past her to behind the curtain where Riley was standing scowling at them.

 “Is he hassling you?”

 “Nothing I can’t handle.”

 “That’s it.” Jensen went to stand

 “Jensen stop it.” Danneel quickly crouched down behind him, “You are in the middle of this panel thing and there are how many thousands of people here staring at you and also at me right now. I’ve got this and if I don’t I’ve got yours and Jared’s security out there to help me.”

 “What’s going on?” Jared whispered at the look on both their faces

 “Nothing. God this is so embarrassing. Jensen let me go. People are starting to notice.” Jensen dropped her wrist but kept looking past her

 “Hey isn’t that that dick from last night? What’s he doing?” Jared hissed after seeing where Jensen was looking

 “God nothing, no one is doing anything, everything is fine. Can you please do what you came here to do before I get attacked by your legion of fans.”

 “We can take a five minute break and sort him out.” Jared said to Jensen

 “Hey Jared look at me.” He did, “I’ve got this and if I don’t as I said to Jensen I have your guys out there. I have got this. Go back to being adored and drooled on by your fans and I’m going back out there.”

 “Fine but you tell him we are watching.”

 “Put it back in your pants Jared, you’re not on your show now. This is real life.” She hissed before standing up, straightening her skirt and walking off stage. Once she hit the curtains she turned to find both actors still staring in her direction. She then watched as Jared gave Riley a hand gesture indicating they were watching him.

 “Very protective of you aren’t they? Maybe you weren’t lying before.”

 “About what?”

 “Keeping one or both of their beds warm.” The crack of her hand against his face echoed around the back stage and then she turned in time to see Jared spit water across the table and Jensen jump up. One of the security guards bundled a shocked Riley away from her and the organisers quickly directed questions to another of the panel members. Danni frowned at Jensen and mouthed for him to stay there. She asked one of the back stage staff to keep an eye on them for her before grabbing her bags and leaving. The driver jumped out of his car when he saw her but she directed him to stay and jumped into a taxi

 

            Danneel jumped when there was a knock on her door later that afternoon. She was sitting at her lap top and surrounded by text books. There was a room service trolley by the door and she had jazz coming out of the computer speakers.

 “Who is it?” she would have yelled ‘come in’ but she was worried it might be Riley and she would have the urge to beat him with one of her text books.

 “Jensen”

 “Come on in.”

 “Hey.”

 “I’m sorry for just leaving like that.”

 “Hey I’m just here to make sure you’re ok.” He said as he pushed aside one of her books and sat on the bed she was using as a table

 “Well I’m angry at Riley but I’m mainly frustrated at myself for letting my red headed temper get the better of me.”

 “That was a hell of a slap. What did he say to make you react like that.”

 “Nothing.”

 “Come on Danni, you have worked with Jared and I for weeks and both of us have taken the piss out of you at times without that happening; it must have been good.”

 “Jensen I am not telling you what he said. I saw yours and Jared’s reactions just with him being there so there is no way I am going to make it any worse.”

 “Danni what did he say?” Jensen said suddenly serious with his jaw clenched, he could tell by the look on her face he was not going to like it

 “Nothing.”

  “You know I am only going to think it is worse than what it probably was if you don’t tell me.”

“With the threat of you doing something stupid there is nothing you could think that could be worse than what he said.” She sighed

“What the hell Danni?” he yelped

 “Look he was offering me a job which I politely declined, then I came and gave you your drinks, you boys did your pissing contest and he implied that I would only be protected like that if I was sleeping with one or both of you so I expressed my opinion of his comment physically.”

 “Yeah well wait til I see him.”

 “No because it is nothing to do with you Jensen. You are engaged to another well known actress, I am single and work on set with you. If the media get hold of any of this they will have a field day and there is enough of them floating around this weekend”

“Ok well I was just coming to see if you wanted to join us for dinner.”

 “Thanks but I am way behind on this damn essay.”

 “What’s the course again?”

 “I am doing my masters in literature and concentrating on the romantic era.”

_“_ _Bright crispéd threads of pure translucent gold!_

_Ye who were wont with zephyr's breath to play,_

_Over the warm cheek and ivory forehead stray,_

_Or clasp her neck in many an amorous fold,_

_Now, motionless, in this little shrine must hold:_

_No more to wanton in the eye of day;_

_Or to the breeze your changeful hues display:_

_For ever still inanimate, and cold.”_

            Jensen read the poem softly and Danneel had to close her eyes. Her breath literally caught in her throat and she had to consciously think to breathe when he stopped reciting.

 “That’s beautiful, it could almost be written about you.” Jensen said quietly as he continued looking at the pages. His mind was spinning and all of a sudden he realised he was in her bedroom, listening to sensual music with a bed a few feet away; she was wearing jeans and a loose shirt and her feet were bare with the toes painted hot pink. He could feel his body responding to the close confines and concentrated on the words in front of him.

 “It was written by Brooke Boothby in the seventeen hundreds.” She almost whispered, not wanting to break the spell as her body pulsed

 “Well she knew how to express herself.”

 “Brooke Boothby was a man and this poem was written after the death of his daughter.”

 “Well I’ll stop talking now before I make more of an idiot of myself.” He put the book down and stood now he had control over his body

 “Jensen” Danneel said and put her hand out and grabbed his wrist to stop him walking away, “No one is supposed to know that unless they study this era. You recited it beautifully.” She said as she kept hold of him.

 “Danni.” He sighed

 “What?”

 “You should let me go” his voice deep

 “I’m just...”

 “I know but the problem is this.” He took her hand off his and pulled her out of her chair. He then wrapped her in his arms and kissed her. Softly, gently, just tasting her and feeling the softness of her lips. He didn’t want the urgency of the first kiss, he wanted to give her romance. Have her feel the adoration she read about all the time. His body temperature sky rocketed when she relaxed and melted against him. Her arms slid up his chest before wrapping around his neck and he could feel her nipples hardening against his chest. His hands slid down and he cupped her breasts through her shirt. He felt more than heard her sigh and he had to squeeze his eyes closed and picture his fiancé before his body would release the grip it had on her. He stepped back

 “I’m sorry.”

 “Jensen don’t be sorry. We were caught in a moment. You should try studying this full on. I find myself semi aroused on a regular basis.” She said matter of factly and Jensen groaned,

“Sorry probably not the best thing to say right now. Good night.” She said with a sheepish smile

 “Night.” He turned and walked out the door. If this had been a movie shot it would have shown Danneel standing in her room, running her fingers across her still burning lips and it would have shown Jensen standing in the hallway running his fingers through his hair with a look of confusion on his face.


	7. Unsettled

Danneel was sitting primly at Jensen’s table reading a script that had been sent to him. No longer did she feel comfortable enough to relax on his couch in case he came in and caught her again. She should really be going back to her own caravan but the close confines were not comfortable for long periods and sometimes the guys could be on set for way over twelve hours. She made sure she wore a more professional shirt with her jeans, she had a light make up on and her hair was neatly done. She had greeted Jensen and Jared the same, kept the conversation to everything work related, did not volunteer any opinions and tried to not be in the caravan for too long if it was just her and Jensen.  She spent the days working with the studios and his manager so that she had everything she needed for when he came in this evening. No one knew anything but her own guilt about the two kisses had her turning almost paranoid so she was now hiding in the trailer. She jumped when the phone rang.

 “Danneel speaking.”

 “You.”

 “I beg your pardon?”

 “Get Jensen.”

 “Is this Joanna?”

 “Yes. I need Jensen and I need him now, this is extremely urgent.”

 “Ok I’ll go on set and he will call you back in five minutes.” Danneel said and hung up the phone. Joanna did in fact sound upset and she had played by the rules up until now and not bothered Jensen at all since the phone reallocation so Danneel now ran to where they were filming

 “Hey Kim”, Danneel said a few minutes later as she headed towards the director; “Do you

know where Jensen is?”

 “Hey Danni, yeah he’s down the tunnel.”

 “Can you ring one of the guys and get him to come out. Joanna needs him urgently.”

 “I wish I could, it would make this shoot go so much easier but there is no coverage in there. Mick, grab a torch for Danni. If you walk straight ahead you can’t miss them, just watch out for the cables on the ground.”

            Danni walked into the large cement pipe and drew a deep breath as she followed the power cords. After a few minutes it got dark enough that she had to turn the torch on and a few minutes after that it was black enough that the only light was from her torch. She kept drawing deep breaths and started humming to herself as she went along but her fingers were starting to tremble and she could feel the perspiration on her forehead.

 “I can do this. I am a grown woman, I’m in the middle of suburbia and there are people behind me and in front of me, this is not an issue, just keep walking.”

            It seemed to last forever but it was probably only a few moments before she started to see a haze of light in the distance. “I can do this, I can do this.” She kept chanting but her breath was shallow, she was sweating so much she could hardly hold her torch and her legs were starting to feel like rubber, “Almost there.”

 “Danni?” Jensen came at her from a periphery tunnel she had not even seen in her intentness to get to the light. She let out a blood curdling scream, “Danni it’s me.”

 “Jensen.” She gasped and grabbed at his arm to stay standing

 “Danni what’s wrong?” He could feel her trembling

 “Joanna. Joanna needs you. Call Joanna.” She said between gasps. She could feel tunnel vision creeping up and she grabbed onto Jensen with both hands as she fought a losing battle with consciousness.

 “Danni what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

 “I can’t... I don’t... just call...promised” she gasped and dropped her torch as she collapsed

            Jensen let out a loud swear word and grabbed Danni before she hit the ground. She was so light he almost threw her over his shoulder as he heaved her up.

 “Hey someone give me a light over here.” He yelled and was surrounded by light packs.

 “Who’s that? Is this part of the show?” One of the crew guys asked

 “No it’s Danni.”

 “Danni? What’s wrong with her?” Jared yelled as he pushed forward

 “I don’t know.” Jensen was starting to freak out as the lights shining on her showed her to be almost grey and glistening in sweat.  “I gotta get her out of here.”

 “Jensen you’re in the middle of filming, we’ll get the nurse in here.” One of the staff said.

 “I am not leaving her in here and alone while she is unconscious and we have already established there is no reception in here. I’m taking her out. Someone walk with me with a torch.”

            Jensen pounded towards the exit of the tunnel, the torch holder almost having to jog to keep up. Danni still hadn’t woken up and Jensen was trying hard to stay calm. He let out a sigh when he could see the entrance ahead and as he strode out of the tunnel yelling for the nurse, everyone around him stopped in shock and then started yelling when they saw his face and who he was carrying.

            The nurse directed Jensen towards Danni’s caravan but he shook his head and carried her into his, placing her gently on the bed.

 “I have it from here Mr Ackles”

 “No, I want to stay, what’s wrong with her?” Jensen asked as he took of her shoes

 “I don’t know and until you leave and give us some privacy I can’t find out. Do you know anything about her medical history?”

 “No.”

 “My first question when women in this age bracket pass out is is she pregnant?”

 “No, actually I don’t know. I don’t think so. I don’t know.” Jensen sighed. His first answer had been in response to what happened between them but then he had to think she had some kind of history with that Riley guy so maybe she could be pregnant

 “I’m waiting just outside the door.”

 “That’s fine Mr Ackles, if you want to hold up the entire production that is your prerogative, but may I suggest you go back to what you were doing and I will keep you updated.”

 “Fine.” Jensen snapped and walked out of his caravan to find about ten people standing around.

 “Major Martha will not look at her until we have left and she will keep us updated with what is happening.”

 “I heard that.” she called from inside his trailer

 “Sorry can you please just...”

 “Leave and I can.” She said to the slamming door.

 

 “Joanna what’s wrong?” Jensen asked down the phone

 “What took you so long to get back to me? Getting in a quickie before ringing the unsuspecting fiancé?” she yelled down the line and Jensen had to pull the phone away from his ear. Jared looked over from where he was standing, both of them outside his trailer.

 “Jo what the hell are you talking about and what is going on?”

 “There are photos of you in the paper Jensen, photos of you with that woman.” Joanna snarled down the phone.

 “What photos? What woman? Jo just take a breath and tell me what is going on. You sent Danni to come and get me off set so it must be urgent.”

 “Danni? So you’re calling her Danni now.”

 “Joanna!” he snapped with frustration

 “If you are going to screw around at least have the decency to be stealth about it.”

 “Joanna what the hell are you ranting about?”

 “Look Jensen I understand that you are drooled over by women and I know you will always come back to me but if you have to have these little flings before the marriage could you at least pick someone who was good looking.”

“Joanna just tell me why you god damn called?” Jensen yelled down the phone and Jared made a WOW face before walking away

 “Because there are god damn photos of you in the paper with that woman.” She yelled back

 “Hang on; are you telling me that you got Danneel to come down a tunnel to get me, and stopped work on the set, just because there was a photo of myself and my PA in a tabloid?”

 “Two Jensen. One in the middle of the week, leaving from the LA airport here when you should have been there; and one of you coming out of her hotel room at the convention. As I said Jensen not very stealth”

 “God Joanna why don’t you grow up. You have cost the company time and money, not to mention whatever happened to Danni because of jealousy?”

 “I am not jealous of her.”

 “Then what the hell?”

 “I told you to stay away from her.”

 “That’s it? All this was caused just so you could say that?” Jensen snapped and even Jared raised his eyebrows at the menace in his voice

 “Yes! What is your problem Jensen?” Now that Joanna had vented she was completely calm and could not understand why Jensen was so angry.

            Jensen hung up the phone without answering her and after closing it threw it as hard as he could against the trailer wall while he let out a stream of profanities.

 “Only a man in love could let a woman affect him like that.” Jared smiled

 “Just shut the hell up if you know what’s good for you Jared.” Jensen yelled before stalking off.

 

            Danneel woke up looking at an unfamiliar ceiling. She frowned while she tried to figure what where she was and what had happened to her.

 “Wakey wakey sleepy head.” A female voice said and Danni moved her head to see the set nurse sitting there.

 “Where are we?”

 “Mr Ackles’s trailer. So why would someone who suffers from claustrophobia be stupid enough to go down a tunnel?”

 “I am so embarrassed.” Danneel groaned and threw her hand over her eyes. “Who saw?”

“Everyone.”

 “Great, now I really am going to have to look for another job. How’d you know?”

 “I rang the studios to get your medical history, in case you had an allergy or an illness they had stupidly forgotten to tell me about, it happens every now and then. And all of a sudden I find myself talking to Mr Graul personally who seems to have taken a particular interest in you and who knew you well enough to know you have claustrophobia without looking at your file.” Danneel did not miss the innuendo in her voice, it wasn’t the first time her father’s intervention had been misunderstood.

 “I need some fresh air.” She tried to sit up but felt groggy, looking around she realised she was in Jensen’s bed, and flushed red at being in such a position after everything that had happened between them.

 “Slow down there missy, I had to give you an anti anxiety shot, it will have relaxed your body and you probably haven’t slept it off yet.”

 “Please, I need to get out of here; can you help me back to my caravan?”

 “You want to leave the mansion of trailers and go back to your tiny thing?”

 “Fine I can do this by myself.” Danni said and slid towards the end of the bed.

            The nurse sat there and watched as Danni’s feet hit the ground and she sat on the edge of the bed getting her bearings. As she tried to stand she swayed and fell back onto the bed, she then stood and swayed again.

 “Ok well this is getting painful to watch now. Are you going to give up?”

 “No. Are you going to help me?”

 “Stubborn aren’t you? Ok come on. It’ll give me a chance to go and tell everyone you’re ok anyway.” The nurse put her arm around Danneel’s waist and helped her towards the door, when they opened it Jared was standing there, leaning against the side of the trailer

 “Hey you’re alive?” he said as he straightened up

 “Yes she is and she is adamant about going back to her own caravan.”

 “Why?” he frowned in confusion

 “I just want to be in my own caravan, it’s the closest I’m going to get to my own bed and I am fully aware I’m in no state to go straight out to the airport.” Danni said as she tried to step down the stairs and almost slid. The nurse made a grab for her but Jared stepped forward and scooped her up. “What are you doing here anyway?”

 “Jensen and I are tag teaming. They’re filming all the individual scenes and now I have seen you are ok I can go back and we can shoot the rest.”

 “Thanks Jared, that is so sweet of you.” Danni said with a tear in her eye as her head dropped onto his shoulder

 “Jeez it must have been some good drugs they gave you to have you softening like this and not screaming about wasting time and money just on a PA.”

 “You’re right you shouldn’t be but I can’t get up the energy to care at the moment.”

“Hey what’s going on here?” Jensen said as he came jogging up to them

 “I’m whisking her away.” Jared smiled down at her and Jensen felt possessiveness rush through his body. She was his assistant; no one should be wrapping her in their arms and carrying her except him.

 “Danni are you ok?”

 “I’m fine.”

 “What’s wrong with her? Why can’t she walk?” he asked the nurse

 “She suffered an attack of claustrophobia, apparently going down the tunnel was not a bright idea and she can’t walk because the anti anxiety medication is like a muscle relaxant.”

 “So she’s not pregnant?” Jensen asked as relief washed through him

 “I don’t know, once I found out about the claustrophobia I didn’t have to go any further with my examination.”

 “So where is she going?”

 “Hey I am right here. I am going back to my caravan and you are going to mind your own business, it is none of your concern whether I’m pregnant or not, it has nothing to do with you. And I hope you rang your fiancé back? I’d hate to think I went through all this for nothing.” Danni snapped at him. This was a ridiculous situation, to be yelling at one man while in the arms of another, “Jared just put me down.” She sighed.

Jared set her on her feet and she promptly started crumpling towards the ground.  “And now I’m picking you up again.” He said as he scooped her up, “Maybe you two want to have this fight once she’s in her caravan and you can have some privacy? Not that I mind having you in my arms like this” he said with a wink

 “Jensen go away, go back to set, Jared is taking me back to my caravan and then he is going back to set. The nurse is here if I need anything.”

 “Oh goody for me.” The nurse muttered

            Jared carried her towards her caravan as Jensen stomped off in the other direction.

 “What’s his problem?” Jared mused

 “Don’t ask me.”

 “Really? Because I need an axe to cut the atmosphere around you two at the moment.” He said as he ducked his head to enter her caravan.

 “Look I am just here to do my job, I only have a few more weeks to go and then you’re clear of me.”

 “And yet again I ask what’s going on?” Jared asked. Danni looked at the nurse and then at Jared and gave a small shake of her head. “Can you give us a moment Martha?”

 “She is my patient; I don’t think I should be leaving her alone with a man when she does not have full control of her body”

 “Martha, look at me, I was one of the twenty hottest men this year, do I look like the kind of man that needs to take advantage of women when they are drugged?”

 “No.”

 “Thank you.”

            The nurse went outside and Jared placed Danni on her bed before sitting down beside her.

 “I feel like I’m in a Barbie house in this ridiculous caravan.” He said as he looked around and Danni giggled, “Want to talk about it?”

 “Jensen and I have accidentally kissed a couple of times.”

 “Accidentally?” he raised an eyebrow

 “Yes.”

“A couple of times?” both eyebrows went up

 “Yes.” She huffed

 “Really? Good kisses?” he asked and Danni looked down at her sheet and blushed bright red. She did not answer the question but she did not have to. Jared kicked his shoes off and slid up the bed so he was propped up beside her, “That’s why you took off and why everything has been awkward since we’ve been back from the comic-con.”

 “Jensen is engaged and I just want to get back to doing my job properly.”

 “So why are these kisses creating such a fantastic working environment.”

 “Because they were great kisses.” Danni unconsciously answered before slapping her hand over her mouth and turning bright red again

 “Really?” Jared purred

  “Oh God just open up the ground and bury me now.”

 “You know engaged is not married.”

 “That’s what my mum said.”

 “You talked to your mum about this?”

 “When I went home.”

 “And?”

 “And I asked her how she would feel if my fiancé was having this conversation with a parent?”

 “Danni I spend nearly every waking minute with Jensen and I have never seen him this wound up over Joanna, even when they first dated. He wanted to rip that Riley guy’s head off his shoulders when he found out what he said to you. I know they brought you out because he was stuffing up on set but even then that was anger and frustration, not mind blowing love. He has never talked about Joanna with me although he is my best friend, but he did talk to me about you.”

 “What did he say?”

 “Sorry best friend confidentiality but I can tell you it was all good.”

 “Well I consider you a friend as well Jared so thanks.”

 “Is that your way of saying I can’t tell him about this conversation?”

 “No I wasn’t even thinking that, I was thinking thanks for bringing me here and listening.” “You know I’d be happy to take your mind off Jensen.” He gave his flirtatious smile

 “See there you go ruining it. I have watched you and worked with you and when you’re not putting on this playboy act you are a great guy, a guy I can see as a best friend.”

 “Ouch, just a friend hey?”

 “I said best friend.”

 “How about friends with benefits?”

 “Alright now get out.”

  “I’m just going to sit here for a few moments until you fall asleep. You know considering the size of this kiddie play house the bed ain’t half bad.”

 “Thanks Jared.” She reached out to hold his hand and closed her eyes

 

            Jensen opened the door to Danni’s caravan after knocking and getting no answer. The nurse was nowhere to be seen and neither was Jared, the two people he had left her with.  Had he known they would abandon her when needed he wouldn’t have gone back on set. He looked towards her bed as he walked in the caravan and the sight that greeted him had him seeing red, literally the whole caravan should have been quivering with the rage that was vibrating from his body. Jared was propped up against some pillows asleep, his hand that was holding Danni’s was on his chest and his head was resting on hers; Danni was on her side curled into Jared’s body and she had a little smile on her face. He walked silently over to the bed and hit Jared’s feet. The only part of him he could reach with the built in bed

 “Hey.” he mumbled

 “Shh.” Jensen hissed as he nodded at Danni

 “What’s up?” Jared whispered after looking beside him

 “Maybe I should be asking you that question. What the hell is going on here?” Jensen whispered loudly

 “Two consenting adults’ man.” Jared decided to play the devil’s advocate

 “How about you get the hell out of that bed and get out here before I drag you out.”

 “Really? Why?”

 “Because everyone is looking for you on set, you have held up shooting and...”

 “And what?”

 “And nothing. This is all about work.”

 “Nothing to do with the fact you’re being a dog in the manger?”

 “What is that supposed to mean?”

 “It means that Danni is not one of the girls that throw themselves at us Jensen. If you’re going to fool around on Joanna at least do it with someone who has no morals or self respect.”

 “Meaning?” Jensen almost growled

 “Don’t go around kissing decent, self respecting girls when you are engaged to someone else”

 “She told you?”

 “Yes because I asked what’s been with the attitude for the last couple of days. You are engaged to Joanna Jensen. Danni came out to help us and not only has she been a god send but is great to hang out with as well and the last few days have been as enjoyable as a bout of the measles because you couldn’t control yourself. You should have known she wouldn’t act like the bimbos who throw themselves at us.”

 “Hey weren’t you the one telling me to tap that?”

 “That was guy talk, I could say that because I knew you wouldn’t, or at least I thought you wouldn’t.”

 “She is not a bimbo.”

 “I didn’t say she was.” Jared hissed back, “This is ridiculous to be having this argument in whispers and hisses. Let’s take it outside.”

 “How about let’s not. Let’s just get our damn asses on set so we can film the final parts and get on the fricking plane and get the hell out of here. It has been a shit week and I just want it over.” Jensen snapped and walked to the door. He turned around in time to see Jared kiss Danni’s hand before letting it go and he let out a growl as he threw himself out the door.


	8. The Other Woman

Another Friday flight home and Jensen sat on the plane watching Danneel bite her lip as she read through emails that had been sent to his fan site. She had shaken off the drugging and was back to her normal professional self, which was more than could be said for him and Jared. Jared had swapped seats with one of the other actors and was somewhere up the back of the plane. He felt bad that he had pissed off his best friend with what was essentially jealously and Jared was right, he was engaged to Joanna, he had no hold over this woman, had no right to stop Jared making a play for her and no right to expect anything from her; unfortunately that did not stop some fantastic ideas going through his head when she leant forward to get some paperwork out of her bag, making her shirt dip and showing him the lacy top of a pink bra.

He then watched as Danneel checked a number of social networking sites to make sure everything was above board and no one was using his name fraudulently as has happened a few months ago until the police intervened. He knew she was even on Twitter on her phone due to its sudden popularity. Jensen almost yearned for the days when no one wanted a piece of him and he could just go to work, do his thing and go home. Now there were hundreds of web sites on Supernatural, about the same on him and Jared and now sites and blogs on his nuptials. The quiet wedding he wanted was turning into a major circus, mainly instigated by Joanna, who wanted the biggest, the best, the most extravagant and the most expensive looking and she kept telling him it wouldn’t cost much and people would just give them stuff for the free advertising of being in hundreds of magazines

            That was what had started this whole thing this morning. One of the photos snapped had been of Jensen and Danni as they had walked through the airport terminal together, they had not been doing anything intimate, although he had rested his hand on her back to steer her and he had been carrying her bag while she smiled up at him as she obviously replied to something he said. Of course the paparazzi website had flashed headlines of “DEMON HUNTER ON THE HUNT”. He had got on the website after his phone call with Joanna and continued to look at the photo for a long time before he realised what could be upsetting Joanna, he looked so relaxed and comfortable as they walked along smiling at each other. Most photos taken of him recently were posed or planned and he had his professional smile on, the one the fans wanted to see but he was aware did not quite reach his eyes, making him look distant and uncomfortable, as his mother would say.

            He thought it was completely insane that Joanna thought Danni was plain because, looking at her, she was classically beautiful. She never wore much make up, she didn’t need to, and in the last couple of weeks, being outside while exercising or walking Roger, she had tanned and a dusting of freckles had appeared on her nose. Her hair was a gorgeous auburn and a couple of afternoons with the sun behind it, he noticed it lit up like a halo around her, making her even more ethereal. She was tall even though she had to look up to him and until he had picked her up and felt how light she was, he wouldn’t have considered her skinny, just perfect. She was always smartly dressed and he was sure most of her clothes were also labels but not worn ostentatiously like Joanna. He knew what he saw in the hotel room but something told him that even without help from executives, Danni would know how to dress.

            Seeing that innocent photo, listening to Joanna scream at him, seeing Jared and Danni curled up in bed together; all of these things and his reaction to them were not that of a happily in love man who had found the woman he was about to spend the rest of his life with and he needed to get out to the farm so he could sort his head out.

 

            Jensen exited the plane and was ready for the media circus that awaited him. He had alerted the studios after seeing the photos but they had already been made aware of it and there was extra security provided by the studio and the airport police. They had partitioned off an area for them to walk through and before he entered he turned to make sure Danni was ok this time, for obvious reasons he could not walk with her but he did not want her abandoned and hurt like last time there had been a publicity stunt.

            Danni was still a few feet behind Jensen when he went around the corner into the terminal and she froze when she heard the screams and yelling that started as soon as he disappeared from view. She could see the flashes going off and could only assume Joanna was out there again. She dropped her head and tried to slip out with a couple of the other staff members but it seemed to be that the roaring increased when she walked through the door.

“Just keep moving.” One of the security staff said in her ear as he hustled her forward, she felt like people were yelling things at her but surely she was wrong.

 “What’s going on?” she asked but the security guard was not listening, he was watching and taking orders from his ear piece.

 “Danni.” She heard Jensen call from in front of her and she looked towards him for reassurance. It was insane, there were close to a hundred cameras in her face and she could hear the high pitch squeal of fans in the background also

 “What’s going on?” she called

 “I’ll tell you in the car.” He called back as the sea of security carried them along.

“Danneel.” Another voice called her name and she stopped suddenly to turn and look into the crowd. When she saw his face she smiled, broke away from her security and ran over to him.

 “Hi.” She whispered and suddenly felt like crying.

 “Bad day?” he asked with sympathy and she nodded silently

 “Come on, you’re coming home with me.” He said and lifted up the barrier

            Jensen turned back from the melee in time to see Danneel disappear behind her security guard and dip under the barrier and as her guard moved, unblocking his view, he saw her in the arms of the studio executive. He then watched as Graul cupped her face and whispered something in her ear before picking up her bag, taking her hand and leading her out a side door of the terminal. She seemed completely unaware that some of the cameras were following her as she looked up with complete adoration at the older man.

            Seemed like both he and Jared were wrong, little miss perfect was not as pristine as she wanted the world to believe, and obviously sugar daddy Graul was feeling the same jealously from the same photos that Joanna had gone off about if he was willing to come out in public to scoop her up.

“What’s up?” Jared asked as he approached. They had learned to tune the screaming and yelling out over a year ago. Jensen nodded in the direction he was looking and Jared turned around

 “Oh.”

 “Yeah.”

 “I guess that pretty much confirms it then but I just can’t see her as the other woman.”

 “Only if we go on how she acts around us, obviously she is a completely different person at home.”

“I’m not getting that vibe from her.”

“Because we know her so well.” He replied sarcastically, “What has she told us about herself?”

 “Ok well let’s keep moving before they break through the barrier and we’re mobbed. Probably not a good idea to have the pap’s taking photos of you mooning after a girl who is walking off with a studio exec while your fiancé is pregnant?”

 “What the hell?” Jensen spun and looked at Jared with a shocked face and the cameras went crazy.

 “What do you think all this is about? Joanna got snapped coming out of a doctor’s appointment today and according to reports was smiling and acting all coy.”

 “I’m going to kill her.” Jensen growled, he didn’t for one minute think she was pregnant because he took care of that side of things, knowing he couldn’t rely on her to not do something media worthy.

 “What did _you_ think this was all about?”

 “There was a photo of Danni and me on a pap website yesterday, that was what Joanna was screaming at me about today.”

 “Well then definitely stop looking over there and keep moving.” Jared said with a push after letting out a swearword.

 

            It was Sunday night and Jensen sat on his veranda drinking a beer while he watched the sun go down. It had been a terrible weekend and Joanna’s camp were not helping the situation by announcing ‘no comment’ and ‘we want to keep our private lives private’; that was a joke, Joanna would have a camera in bed with her if she thought it would get her more attention. He had rung his parents on Friday night to warn them of what they might see and hear so he knew he had no need to contact them and there was no way he was turning on Joanna’s phone. He could not handle listening to her at the moment yet alone talking to her. He knew what he had been getting into when he proposed to Joanna, he knew that she would grab any media coverage that she could in her goal to reach the top of the food chain but he would not pretend that it did not piss him off sometimes when he was caught in the cross fire. He had accepted that there would be increased interest in them up until the wedding and he could only hope that that died off after that circus was over.

            He had done a lot of thinking over the weekend, could he see himself with Joanna when he was seventy and she was in her sixties? Could he see her being the mother of his children? Could he see her standing by him if some kind of publicity stunt was unleashed on him? Some of the answers he had come up with did not set his mind at ease and he had a lot of thinking to do. He admitted to himself that before Friday night the possibility of Danni may have played some part in the decisions he had to make, she was the first girl who made him feel like he had after just one kiss, even Joanna didn’t affect him like that; but now she had shown her true colours he took her out of the equation. He did not want to be with someone who had so few morals she was ok with being a bit on the side to a married man

******

            Danneel sat at the table in Jensen’s trailer and tried to work. Jensen seemed to hardly be able to look at her since they had come back and where Jared usually broke the tension, today he seemed to be just as aloof. She could only think it had something to do with the breaking story over the weekend, that Jensen’s fiancé was pregnant. She had felt physically sick when reading that but because her mother had been watching her closely she acted carefree while in her mind she turned the idea over and over.  It was her own fault anyway; hell she had only known Jensen for a few weeks and had known he was engaged from the start, it wasn’t as if he was going to throw his fiancé, who he had known and loved for years, away and show up on her door step declaring his undying love because of a couple of kisses. This was not a movie, there was no script, no sunset and roses, this was reality where she had no idea how she felt or why those kisses affected her like they did; she was not going to ruin her life and be known as ruining a relationship because of physical attraction.

Her father had also explained to her why it seemed like people had been yelling at her on Friday night and she had seen the photo of her and Jensen in the airport, she saved that photo on her laptop. On Saturday night the same trash magazine website also revealed the story that Edward Graul was seen leaving arm in arm from the same airport with the same woman who was accused of trying to break up the engagement of Joanna and Jensen.  The scenarios suggested by the website went from the sublime to the ridiculous. Was she a high class hooker kept on retainer by the studio? Was Graul rushing her away to pay her off to get her away from Jensen? Had Jensen been doing Graul a favour and getting his mistress away from his wife? Without even trying, over the weekend, Danneel’s reputation had been shot to pieces, depending on how you looked at it; some people craved any kind of media attention, Danneel shied from it and even though it was only photos of an ‘unnamed woman’ she still felt sick.

 “Did it never occur to these people that there is an innocent scenario?” she yelled in frustration as she threw the paper across the room.

 “How do you make money off that?” her father replied calmly

Danneel just thanked the stars that no one actually knew her name, she was just the mystery woman at present although it would only take one leak from the studio or from either of the sets she had worked on for her name to be discovered and revealed.

 “Do you want me to make a statement? I can end all this with one sentence.”

 “No dad, it’ll all blow over next week when someone else does something innocent that can be construed another way. It’s almost over and everything will go back to normal.”

 “Well can you not do anything stupid for the next couple of weeks?”

 “Like what? Going to the airport?”

 

Later that Monday afternoon, after being left alone by every single person on set there was a knock at Jensen’s door

 “Hey Julie what’s up?”

 “I want to invite you out with us girls tonight. After this weekend I think you could use it.”

“So what’s happening?”

“It’s Janet’s birthday so we’re partying.”

  “What? Amongst the ghouls and gremlins?”

 “No, when it’s a birthday if it can’t be done with just the guys, it aint done, girls night out baby. I know you’re not really one of us but you’ve been here long enough and you help out and as I said I think you could use it so let’s party.”

 “Ok, I’m in.” Danni said with a smile, if it didn’t help break the tension at least it would not be another night when she was in her caravan alone after dealing with the awkward silence of Jensen and now Jared.

 

            It was a night of tequila shots, vodka cocktails and full on girly behaviour. There was singing, dancing, Janet trying to teach pole dancing before falling over drunk, stories of hook ups and break ups and big old gossip mongering about everyone on set.

 “So what’s the go with you Danni, you should be doing pretty well for yourself with Jensen and now Mr Graul.” One of the bitchier girls asked and the group went quiet.

 “Look it’s all gossip. I was just walking through the airport with Jensen, it’s not my fault the tabloids want to blow it out of proportion.”

 “Yeah but that was the same day you skulked out of here in the middle of the night and then Jensen took off in a hurry the next morning.”

 “I wish my life was as exciting as it sounds, I had work at the studios and he got called back for a meeting also, pure coincidence, so we decided to travel back together. Do you think Jensen would be sleeping with someone else with his fiancé pregnant? You girls have worked with him way longer than me, does he seem like the type of guy to have something on the side? Jared on the other hand...” Danni said and they all started bitching about the girls that had passed through Jared’s trailer, some of them in this group, and left her alone. By about midnight Danneel tottered towards her caravan. She would have made it to her mattress without embarrassment if she had taken another route but she was drunk and passing by so...knock, knock, knock

 “Hey is everything ok?” Jensen asked as he opened his trailer door, she had woken him up so his hair was sticking in odd directions, he was wearing boxer shorts and he looked sexy and rumpled as hell.

            Danneel stepped up the two steps, holding onto the door to keep some dignity and not slide to her knees, and came nose to nose with him but he did not take a step back

 “I don’t know, you tell me?”

 “What do you mean?”

 “What do I mean?” she asked and shook her head at his ignorance, “I mean the fabulous reception I walked into this week.”

 “There is no attitude, it’s your imagination.”

 “Oh well then everything is perfect.” She said sarcastically

 “You’ve been drinking.” He accused

 “Yep, never experienced the sneakiness of a jelly shot before.”

 “Have you lost your caravan?”

 “Nope, it’s right over there.” Danni pointed to it and almost slid off the steps. Jensen grabbed her by the waist

 “So do you need help getting to it?”

 “Nope. I think I can get myself back to my own caravan thank you.”

 “So what’s up?” his hands stayed resting on her hips

 “I have spent the evening listening to the tales of women who have lived life, loved, been loved and had a few stories under their belt. It get’s a girl to thinking”

 “Thinking what? What is it you want?” Jensen asked quietly as he looked at her lips

 "In life? I don’t know yet, right now? You” she said with a flirty smile as she tapped him on the nose.

 “If we completely ignore the fact that I’m engaged which I’m finding very easy to do when you’re standing here looking at me like this, there is still your life that has managed to get you on the cover of the tabloids at the moment and then there’s the fact that I am going to do the right thing, behave like a gentleman, although I’m sure I’ll regret it later, and not take advantage of your intoxication”

 “Jensen I’m not asking you to have a relationship with me; and I’m not that far gone that I am doing a booty call, if I was I’d be knocking on Jared’s trailer where none of what you mentioned would matter and it’d just be animal sex and now that I think about it I think Jared would be good for the one night stand thing, from what I heard tonight he would be anyway, I heard he’s very talented.”

 “So what? You knocked on my door to boost my ego?”

 “No what I was trying to say is that I’m not here for sex or commitment or anything like that; all I’m asking for is one little goodnight kiss before I go back to my empty trailer, that I know you can do.” she made a gesture with her thumb and index finger to indicate how small the kiss would be.

 “Yes that I can do.” Jensen said and pulled her into his arms. Seeing her standing here like this, eyes bright, hair tussled, lips begging, talking about contemplating sex with another man; he completely forgot about everything that he had just mentioned and everything that had happened since Friday and went back to his baser instincts of just wanting to taste her and feel her one more time, and maybe put that comparison in her head in case next time she does knock on another door.

            Their first kiss had been an introduction and a flirtation, the second kiss a romantic interlude but this kiss was pure seduction. There was no whisper of a touch, there was no dainty brushing of lips, Jensen pulled her up against him hard and plunged his tongue into her mouth. His lips crushed hers, his tongue tangled with hers & his teeth clashed with hers as he tasted the tequila and the lime and tried to absorb her. As soon as they touched he knew he wanted it all and her all. Tasting her, feeling her pressed up against him was not enough and his hand started sliding towards the nipples he could feel like bullets against his bare chest.  His body was rock hard with need and he did not know if he could stop at the one goodnight kiss she had asked for.

Danneel let out a moan and rubbed herself against his blatant hard on. No man had ever been able to turn her on with just one kiss but her nipples were painfully hard, her legs were turning to rubber and she could feel herself getting damp under the onslaught Jensen was hitting her with.  Every time his tongue stroked hers she could imagine it in other places and she groaned as she almost created her own climax. Jensen’s hand slid down and feathered across her nipples.

 “Stop.” Danni moaned even though her eyes were closed and her body was arching towards him.

 “Why?” he husked

  “Anyone could be watching.”

 “You’re right.” Jensen groaned and stepped back from her. She let out a whimper of disappointment

            In a world where every phone had a camera attached and a photo could be downloaded in seconds this was a huge mistake. Everyone on set had signed a confidentiality clause but it only took one money hungry person to take a photo and put it out there. Jensen should have known better and had never done anything in the past to create a scandal but when this woman got close to him she seemed to blow everything from his mind except her and her body

 “Come inside?” he whispered as he dropped kisses down her neck

 “No, you and I both know that’s not a good idea.” She whispered as she arched her neck to give him better access.

 “Why?” she felt him smile against her skin. She sucked in a breath and pulled all her willpower together to take a step back.

 “Because we both know what we do to each other and you have a pregnant fiancé out there somewhere. Engaged is not married, I have heard that a number of times, but there is a baby involved now, that is a completely different ballgame. I’m sorry for coming here and starting this because I should have known better, goodnight Jensen.” She said and stepped down onto the ground

 “What? You’re just going to leave me like this?” In boxer shorts it was blatantly obvious was he was referring to.

 “Take a cold shower, I’m about to.” Danni called over her shoulder as she walked off.


	9. The Extra

The next morning Danneel was woken up by knocking on her door. She moved her head and grimaced, closing her eyes again. The knocking came again

 “Go away.” She called out and cringed

 “No. I have coffee.” She heard Jensen reply and groaned.

 “It’s open.” She sighed and closed her eyes. She heard the door open and tried to open her eyes again, then the smell of coffee hit her senses and even the waft perked her up enough to open her lids.

 “Morning.” Jensen smiled at her all fresh, dressed, hair done and make up on

 “What time is it?” she asked as she reached for the coffee and then took a sip, sighing in pleasure

 “Way after you are usually up and jogging.”

 “Give me a sec and I’ll be up.” Danneel said and handed the coffee back to him before throwing her blankets off.

 “God Danni.” Jensen hissed as he put the coffee down behind him. She had on a camisole and shorts in pale green and all he could see was an abundance of skin

 “Oh sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” She blushed and Jensen watched her entire body turn pink as she tried to cover herself again

 “No don’t.” Jensen said and pulled the covers away

 “Jensen.” She husked

 “Danneel. Do you know how you look lying there just woken up?”

 “Well I feel like death so I am guessing I look like it.”

 “You look like a woman who wants to be made love to, all warm and crumpled and sexy as hell.”

 “Jensen stop.”

 “No.” He said as he knelt on the bed with one knee and leant over her.

 “Jensen don’t, I haven’t even brushed my teeth.”

 “I don’t care.”

 “I do, I am embarrassed enough about last night without you seeing me looking like this.” She was still lying down because sitting up would have brought her face and her lips too close to his and she felt defenceless even though parts of her were starting to throb with the look in Jensen’s eye.

 “Shh, you are gorgeous.” Jensen said and leaned down to kiss her. It was a chaste, almost tender kiss, nothing like last night. Danneel sighed with the warmth that flowed through her and smiled. Jensen lifted his head but was still leaning over her, “Now I can’t take this where I want to because I have to go on set and work for the day and I don’t want everyone knowing my condition. Before I go though I just want to say two things; the first is that if you ever get tipsy again and have the urge to knock on a door, it will be mine and not Jared’s and secondly, yes I am engaged but Joanna is not pregnant; it was a story made up by the media which Joanna just neglected to deny.” He said then dropped another quick kiss on her lips before rising and heading out the door, leaving Danneel to think of all the implications and invitations in that last statement.

 

 “Go away.” Danneel yelled to the next knock on her door

 “Danni its Janet.”

 “Oh, come on in. What’s up?”

 “Need to ask a huge favour” her hand gesture showed how huge it was

 “Ok.”

 “I need you to be an extra in this episode.”

 “What?”

 “You don’t have to say anything, we just don’t have enough zombies in the cemetery. You’ll be in the background, just to make numbers.”

 “God I didn’t think I looked that bad with a hang over?”

 “What? Oh no, funny, no we have make up, wigs, costumes, no one will even know it’s you after we have finished with you.”

            Danneel looked at herself in the mirror an hour later and back at the group of girls staring at her

 “Are you sure about this?”

 “Yes, you look fantastic.”

 “Yeah but can you promise no one out there will know it’s me?”

 “Trust me if I hadn’t seen them do the makeup I wouldn’t know it was you.”

 “If this is some kind of practical joke tell me now.”

“No, after last night you are one of us now, I promise you we need you. Come on, Kim will give you a run down on where he needs you to stand. That’s all you’re doing just standing.”

 “So I have white and grey make up and wig on, a pale pink corset I can hardly breathe in and a shredded hooped skirt and knee high boots so I can stand in the background for ten minutes?”

 “Hey you might be there all day if the guys can’t get it right.”

 “I feel like a reject from Moulin Rouge?”

 “Thanks, that’s what I was aiming for.”

 

 “Check out the rack on that?” Jared said to Jensen as they leaned up against the car and waited for the extras to get into position

 “What?”

 “Over there.”

 “I don’t recognise her.” Jensen looked over at the can can girl who was getting directions from Kim.

 “No me neither and I thought I had met all the hot looking ones. Wish me luck.”

 “Hey Jared how about you keep it in your pants at least until the shoot is over.” Jensen said as he put his arm across Jared’s chest to stop him going anywhere

            It was a long day, it was cold and cloudy and Danneel could not sit for long periods in the corset. She had a laugh with the girls who knew who she was as they watched Jared preen like a peacock in front of her and then stuff it up more times than not. She didn’t get close to the actors, she did not want Jensen to see her looking like this so she spent most of the day propped up against a head stone, taking calls or reading emails via her phone.

“Ok everyone, this is the last scene of the night, when I yell action everyone run, the guys are going to chase you and when you’re caught roll onto your back so they can stab you. Stay in the cemetery.”

 

            Jensen was going mental. Jared was carrying on like an idiot in front of the mystery extra and all Jensen wanted to do was have this over so he could go and talk to Danni and find out what she was thinking. They were finally getting to the end of the day, Jared had pulled it together and the finale was to try and kill as many of the extras as possible while the rest of them ran.

 “Jared you stay away from her. I want this done in one shot and I do not need your testosterone getting in the way, you take old blue guy, teen wolf and crone.” The director said, “Jensen you take old brown guy, farmer bob and can can girl.”

            When ‘action’ was called semi choreographed chaos broke out; Jensen caught his first two zombies quite easily and stabbed them but can can girl was giving him a run for his money and was quite athletic, he almost had her at one time until she literally did some kind of gymnastic twirl off a head stone. He could hear that Jared had caught his three so it was up to him now to wrap this up; in a move that had no class or style, he launched himself off a grave marker and tackled this girl as she ran past. He heard her give out a painful oof as he knocked the air out of her

 “Sorry.” Jensen panted as he sat on her back, “Roll over.”

 “I can’t you’re too heavy.”

 “Danni?” Jensen said with a gasp and slid off her. She tried rolling over but Jensen was caught in her hoop skirt and just sitting there staring at her

 “Jensen stab me.” She hissed

 “What?”

 “Flip me over and stab me, I can’t do this, you’re tangled in my skirt.” She hissed and pushed him so she could get away

 “Hey.” Jensen called as he got himself back into character and made a grab for her skirt. He could hear ripping as the tormented material started giving way but he pulled at it so that she fell backwards and all of a sudden she was on top of him

 “I don’t think this is how it’s supposed to go.” Danneel whispered with a smile and a wiggle as she straddled him. Jensen let out a swear word as he felt his body reacting before knocking her off him, flipping over so he was now on top, and then stabbing her in the heart.

            He heard in the background Kim yell ‘cut’ and he heard everyone start getting up from where they had fallen and chatting but he could not move from where he was sitting on top of Danneel

 “Jensen?” she questioned as she tried to get up

 “Do you know how hot you look?”

  “Oh I’m sure the makeup, the wig and the outfit are a huge turn on.” She gasped on a laugh

 “I don’t think you have any idea.” He groaned and picked up her hand to rest it in his lap. He watched her eyes widen in surprise.

 “Jensen.”

 “Come on, I’ll help you up.” Jensen stood up and put out his hand for her to grab. When he pulled her up her skirt fell away where it had ripped so there was very little covering her. He let out another groan and after looking around pulled her into the shadows behind a tall headstone.

 “Jensen stop it, people will see.”

 “Everyone is packing up for the night.” He said as he slid his hand into the hair of the wig, pulled her forward and brought his mouth to hers.

            This kiss was slow and methodical and very, very thorough. There was no part of her mouth that had not been caressed in this sensual exploration. He did not touch any other part of her body and kept it away from his, and after her breath was stolen and her lips were swollen he stepped away from her with a smile.

 “You have got to stop doing that.” she gasped

 “Why?”

 “Because it makes me think things I definitely shouldn’t be thinking.” She husked

 “Like?”

 “Well at the moment I am thinking Jared is on his way over here and there is way too much of me showing for me to be able to go past all those people.”

 “Let me handle Jared.” Jensen said and pulled her close to take her mouth again. Danneel was in shock and tried to push Jensen away but he held her tight.

 “Hey...what the?” Jared said in shock as he approached the pair

 “Sorry dude, I got in first.” Jensen smirked as he pulled Danneel behind him to cover her near naked body.

 “Man what are you doing? He’s engaged you know?” Jared looked over Jensen’s shoulder to the mystery extra

 “I don’t care about that.” Danneel husked in a southern accent as she slid her hands around his waist, she smiled as she felt Jensen tense

 “Jensen.” Jared snapped

 “I’ll tell you what big boy, point out your trailer and after I’m done with him I’ll come to you” Danneel husked again,

 “What the hell?”

 “Relax Jared it’s just me.” Danneel said in her normal voice as she took a small step back from Jensen, while keeping her body still hidden, and pulled her wig off

 “Danni?”

 “Yeah sorry babe, just me.”

 “But wasn’t Jensen just...you know.”

 “Yes he seems to have picked up a bad habit.” Danneel said as she slid her hands up Jensen’s chest. She saw his eyes widen and her smile got bigger also before she started sliding his jacket off his shoulders and he realised what she was doing.

 “Sorry.” He said and turned, while still blocking Jared’s view, to hold his jacket open so she could slide into it, absorbing his warmth and inhaling his scent

 “Babe your body is smoking.” Jared said

 “Thanks I think.”

 

            What happened on set seemed to break the tension and Jared, picking up on this, returned to his usually laid back and teasing self. She and Jensen never mentioned the birthday party night or the graveyard flirting but something seemed to change in their friendship now. It wasn’t a teasing as much as an awareness of each other. They seemed to brush against each other more than before when going through a tight area, their hands brushed when handing each other the lead when walking Roger and when the two of them were alone in Jensen’s caravan their eyes kept meeting. Jensen would carry her things, or grab her lunch or just look in to make sure she was ok while going about his daily business and Danneel went on set more to watch Jensen in action. Although she was revelling in all the attention she still had to keep reminding herself on a half hourly basis that he was an engaged man and she should not be wanting this or doing this. For him it could just be the thrill of the chase and if and when they did make love there was the very real possibility he could go from this caring man to someone who pretended she didn’t exist, or worse, make problems for her work wise. He could be thinking of her as a cheap bit of fluff on the side to play with before he started his life with his soul mate. Whatever the situation there was huge potential for this to turn ugly, lead to tears and quite possibly a tabloid scandal. Now it was Thursday night and Danneel was curled up on the couch of Jensen’s trailer waiting for him to come back from set. She had been out in the pouring rain an hour ago to check that everything was running smoothly, that no one needed anything and to give Roger some fresh air. She now sat here reading a movie script that had been sent to him to peruse and she was struggling to put it down. Roger was curled up beside her, his head resting on her feet, just staring at her in pure adoration.

 “Hi honey I’m home.” He called with a smile as he threw open the door of the trailer. Danni smiled and Roger let out a yelp

 “Hey. How was today?”

 “Great we are ahead of schedule despite this weather”

 “Why is it that ghosts & ghouls hang out in cold dingy towns? Are there no hauntings at the beach?”

 “I ask myself that on a daily basis in winter and even more at the moment”

 “Why?”

 “You in a bikini is a fantasy that flashes through my mind on a regular basis.”

 “Hey you are not allowed to talk to me like that, it is considered sexual harassment and besides you are engaged”

 “You are completely right, sorry, but I can only say what I think. Speaking of which what do you think of that script you were reading?”

 “Love, love, love it!”

 “It’s not my usual thing.”

 “No well it’s a great idea to just stay in one genre and not step out of your comfort zone.”

 “Yeah but come on do I look like the kind of guy to do a romantic comedy?”

 “Well I know you can do comedy and I have seen some of the women you get it on with on

this show, so in the movie you’re just combining the two.”

 “I have got plenty of time to try other things.”

 “Jensen......no forget about it.”

 “What?”

 “Nothing”

 “You know I hate it when you do that.”

  “Yeah but every now and then I forget I’m just your assistant, it’s not my job to voice my opinions.”

 “Yeah right, just my assistant. I don’t think a just my assistant would kiss me like you did the other night.”

 “Shut up.” Danni gasped on a laugh, it was the first time it had been mentioned in days

 “I will if you tell me what your opinion would be?”

 “That in today’s world where the stars coming up behind you are late teens or early twenties, twenty seven is too old to think you have all the time in the world to try things. There is a very small step from being the sexy brother to being the charismatic father.” “Now that was just harsh.”

 “I tell it like it is baby, that’s what they pay me the big bucks for.”

 “Ok well while I go and shower and try to pull the dagger out of my heart you just plunged there do you want to go grab us something to eat?”

 “Certainly oh master.”

 “Oh you are getting way to cocky.” Jensen laughed as he flicked her with a towel and Danni jumped out of the trailer with a joking shriek.

 “Hey what is going on in there?” Jared said as he caught her from landing almost on top of him

 “Jensen was just tormenting me.”

 “What’s really going on between the two of you?”

 “Nothing.”

 “Well something has changed this week.”

 “Not really.” Danni tried to act nonchalant

 “No really although it’s good having things back the way they were.”

 “Yeah I don’t know what happened at the start of the week but he seems to be over it.”

 “So what’s with the kissing?”

 “It’s only happened once or twice”

 “Other than the cemetery?”

 “I was drunk on Monday night.”

 “A booty call?”

 “No, not a booty call, just a goodnight kiss.”

“Why aren’t you knocking on my door in the middle of the night for a goodnight kiss or more?”

 “I don’t know. I was just saying to Jensen that I wish I was attracted to you like I am him. You are gorgeous and adorable and from what I hear from some of the girls quite talented, I also have a feeling there would be a lot less complications” Danni sighed and she meant it.

“Ouch, shot down.”

“Sorry to dent your huge ego.”

 “Babe you got it bad.” He said as he threw his arm across her shoulders

 “I don’t got nothing.”

 “So you haven’t fallen for him?” he looked at her disbelieving

 “No.” Danneel pulled a face at Jared but something inside her moved as if it had just clicked into place. Her step faltered and Jared caught her before she fell over. Surely not? She hardly knew anything about him and he was engaged and way out of her league. Could she really be stupid enough to do something like that? She could hear the answer ricocheting around her head and let out a swear word.

 ”What?”

 “Nothing, I gotta go, I’m getting us dinner and then I have a heap of stuff to do. Jared don’t worry about me, I am not stupid enough to fall for an engaged man.”

 “Why? Because you’ve fallen for a married man?”

 “You should know better than to believe the tabloids or else I would have to believe you are gay and over compensating with all these women who are just for show while you have a secret relationship with that dude from that sci-fi show.”

 “So you’re not hooking up with Eddie Graul?”

 “I’m confused. Are you looking out for me or Jensen?”

 “Both of you, I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

 “You’re a beautiful man Jared, inside and out. I am fine. Thank you” Danni smiled at him and pulled him down so she could kiss him on the cheek.

 

When she got back to the caravan Jensen was reading his lines.

 “Ok I have some things to do so let’s quickly go over your schedule”

 “What happened in the last five minutes?” Jensen asked as he picked up on her edginess

 “A couple of phone calls, a couple of things I have to follow up which I will do in my caravan so you can continue with your lines.” Danni smiled in his direction but she would not look him in the eyes as she handed him a steak and salad. Her heart was pounding and she was surprised Jensen could not hear it.

“Thanks Danni.” He smiled at her and her breath caught, “Now are you going to tell me what happened out there?”

 “Nothing Jensen, everything else is all good, learn your lines and I’ll see you tomorrow.” She said with a vague smile before dashing out the door

 

            Jensen sat in his silent trailer and stared at the wall. He had been doing this for years before Danneel came along; learning the lines by himself or with Jared. Now he felt as if the energy had left the trailer with her and he had no desire to read his script, follow up with any of the things she had tagged for him to look at or call Joanna for their nightly chat, even Roger seemed to sulk when she left. Her scent still lingered and he made a note to ask for a new trailer next season, he didn’t think the smell would ever fully leave. He went to the fridge for a beer and had to push her diet soft drinks aside. Up in the cupboard there were her crackers mixed in with his chips and when he turned on the stereo, one of her cd’s started playing. They were practically living together out here, the only thing missing was the sleeping together and that was something that was taking up more and more of his mind. He knew, from their kisses, that they would be explosive together, and the temptation was almost more than he could handle.

“Hey man.” Jared said as he walked in

 “Thank God you’re here, I need some incentive to learn these bloody lines.”

 “Really? Why what are you doing?”

 “Nothing.”

 “Just standing in the middle of the room listening to chick music?”

 “It’s Danni’s I was about to change it.”

 “So she says you and she ain’t done the deed yet but you keep kissing.”

“She told you that?”

“No but dude her face is a pure give away, there is no way that chick could be an actress.”

 “You got that right, she is easier to read than a grade one spelling test.” Jensen said even though he had no idea what was going through her mind as she left here five minutes ago.

 “So what are you doing about it?”

“Nothing man. It was just a couple of kisses.”

 “And nothing more?”

 “Nope.”

 “But you want there to be?”

 “Doesn’t matter. I am engaged, she’s hooking up with a sugar daddy and we’re actually back to the point where we can work together, so no I’m not going there.”

 “So you do want there to be.”

 “I’m pretty sure they’ve had to bring in more water because of all the cold showers I’ve had, which I am starting to become immune to, I pretty much have a semi hard on the whole time now.”

“She told me there is nothing between her and Edward Graul.”

 “She said outright that it was a misunderstanding? Her walking off in the arms of Graul?” Jensen asked Jared and watched his face.

 “No, no she didn’t. She changed the subject to me being gay.”

 “God I shouldn’t even be talking like I would be interested if there is no other man because I am engaged to Joanna.”

 “So maybe this is something you need to do before you seal the deal.”

 “I can’t.”

 “You want to.”

 “I can’t.”


	10. All Hell Breaks Loose

“Morning.” Danneel answered her mobile groggily as she woke from sleep. She was finally back in her own bed but had still tossed and turned most of the night, worrying about her feelings for Jensen and had a vague memory of seeing the haze of sunrise before really falling asleep.

 “Did I wake you?” she heard Jensen’s husky voice in her ear and was wide awake

 “No.”

 “Liar. You forget I have woken you before, I know how your voice sounds.” She could hear the flirting in his voice.

 “Ok Jensen, stop whatever you are doing right there.”

 “Are you with someone?”

 “No but you are.”

 “Sorry but the image that came into my head when you said good morning...”

 “Where is Joanna?”

 “Wedding stuff.”

 “So what? You called for phone sex because she’s not around?”

 “Would you be up for that?”

 “Sure, right after I give you a phone castration.”

 “Ok mental note, doesn’t wake up in the best of moods, the reason I am calling is because I need a date for tonight.”

 “What am I? Your pimp?”

 “Actually no, that was a round about way of asking if you would come to this charity game with me.”

 “Joanna rang to colour co-ordinate, what happened?”

 “Her cast have been called in for an emergency meeting”

 “On a Saturday night?”

 “No this afternoon but she thinks it might run late.”

 “I don’t think it’s a good idea Jensen.”

 “Why?”

 “Because there was a photo of us in the tabloids last week, how would it look if all of a sudden I showed up with you on a Saturday night and Joanna was nowhere to be seen?”

 “I don’t care.”

 “Nice answer.”

 “People need to mind their own business.”

 

            Jensen stood in the shadows waiting to walk through the media crowd, Jared and his girlfriend had gone before him a few minutes ago so if he was going to walk this it would be alone.

 “Hey” a voice husked next to him

 “Hi.” Jensen said absently and turned back to the crowd

 “Thanks for the heartfelt greeting.”

 “Excuse me?” Jensen was hearing Danni but looking at a stranger

 “You asked me and here I am.”

            Jensen really looked at the woman standing in front of him. She was spray painted into black jeans and a white singlet that was covered with a red leather jacket. She had black stilettos that put her at his height. She was adorned by a long blonde wig that curled down her back, she had some kind of spray tanning, bright blue contact lens’ and boobs that did not belong to her, he would have definitely have noticed those before.  She had bright red lipstick on, some kind of diamond looking bling and sunglasses that hardly shaded her eyes but made her look like a star.

 “Oh my God.”

 “You likey?”

 “Can you sit down in those jeans?”

 “Yes smart ass I can, do you ever ask Joanna those questions?”

 “Not without getting hit. How’d you increase your natural assets there?”

 “It’s stuffing so you can stop ogling them, it will all disappear in a couple of hours.”

 “You look awesome. I’m not going to lie, I like the real you better but this will definitely fool the crowds. Ready to face the vultures?” he said and took her hand to lead her onto the carpet and into the lights.

            As they slowly walked the carpet people yelled questions at them from all directions. Jensen smiled and kept walking and Danni strutted along beside him. The flashes went crazy when the paparazzi realised it wasn’t Joanna with him and Jensen just waved and kept walking.

            When they got inside they were shown to seats along side of the court and seated next to Jared. Jared kept shooting looks at her but with a wink in her direction Jensen sat down between them and did not introduce her. Danni had always enjoyed basketball and she called out and cheered with the rest of them during the first half of the game in between drinking beer out of a plastic cup. When the siren went for the longer half time break Jensen leaned towards her, putting his arm across the back of her chair so he could get closer

 “You keep jumping around like that you are going to lose your disguise.” He whispered in her ear

 “No this hair is stuck on pretty tight.”

 “I meant your boobs.”

 “The boobs you haven’t been able to take your eyes off all night?” she teased

 “Yes but not for the reasons you think.” He smiled into her eyes and Danni’s breath caught. He was so close and she was a little tipsy and all she had to do was make one little move and...

 “Drinks guys?” Jared broke the spell and Jensen moved away to answer him, “Why don’t you walk with me sweet cheeks?” Jared said to her and she agreed.

 “You do know that the man you are with is engaged?”

 “So?” Danni husked, this was a classic, Jared was the sweetest man but obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed if she was able to fool him twice in one week

 “So it isn’t going anywhere with him.” Jared stopped walking and pushed her up against a wall so they were out of the main flow of foot traffic and leaned down to look at her earnestly. She thought it was great that Jared was sticking up for his best friend but she had enough beer in her to think a little fun couldn’t hurt either,

 “Well then, what about you?” she husked as she stepped forward to rub against him

 “What?” he jumped back

 “You’re not engaged.”

 “No, no I’m not.”

 “So what do you say?” she winked

 “Seriously? You would just dump him and go off with the single guy who, need I remind you, is here with someone else?”

 “That try hard?” Danni leaned in and whispered “I can do things to you that will make you not be able to get out of bed for a week.”

 “What?” he gasped

 “I’m just kidding Jared, it’s me.” She said as she slapped his chest and stepped back

 “Danni? Again?” he yelped and jumped back away from her, “Hon you have got things in places you never had things before.” He said as he looked at her boobs, “What have you got going on down there?” Jared slipped his index finger into the seam of her singlet and pulled it forward while looking down.

 “Hey cut it out.” She snapped with a laugh and slapped his hand away

 “Sorry but I feel like I can because I know that is not you in there.”

 “Yeah but the rest of me is.”

 “I am liking those jeans.” He said as he took her hand and spun her around to check out her ass

 “Do you want to stop man handling my date?” Jensen asked as he came up behind them.

 “Have you seen what’s down there?” Jared asked as he nodded at her chest

 “No, have you?”

 “I just had a quick peek.” Jared said with his signature eyebrow jiggle

 “Really? You just let Jared look down your top?” Jensen asked her as he turned his back on Jared, shutting him out while trapping her against the wall

 “Hey he helped himself, no invite was offered.”

 “Do I get an invite?”

 “You are an engaged man as Jared just pointed out as he tried to scare me off you.” She laughed

 “He tried to scare you off?”

 “That was before he knew who I was.”

 “Shut up.” Jared snapped embarrassed

 “What happened?”

 “Jared was about to ask me to home go with him weren’t you?” she said as she slid away from Jensen and went over to Jared

 “No.” He stuttered but blushed

 “That’s ok we’re all friends here, Jensen understands that you’re single and can offer me things he can’t.” Danneel said and pulled his head down to place her lips on his. Yep just what she suspected, she felt nothing, nada, zip, damn her body for being attracted to the engaged man. Jared jumped back as he looked at Jensen.

 “Man you know I would never go there.”

 “Why? What’s wrong with me? You were pretty hot on checking me out when I first came onto the set.”

 “Yeah but that was before...”

 “And at the graveyard...”

 “But...”

 “And just now. You can admit it Jared, we’re all adults here. Jensen gets it”

 “Not anymore, that was before.”

 “Before what?”

 “Jensen.”

 “What?” Danneel asked confused

 “Excuse us.” Jensen said as he grabbed her arm.

            Jensen dragged her down the hall until he found a small corridor which he pushed her into and up against the wall before putting his arms each side of her so she could not get away

 “What are you doing?” he asked roughly.

 “What are you doing?” Danni gasped back as she looked around to make sure no one was paying attention

 “You come here with me and you are flirting with and kissing Jared and inviting him home with you?”

 “What does it matter what I do or who I invite home Jensen? You are engaged to Joanna and I am just here so you didn’t have to come alone. “

“So you were coming on to him?”

 “Jensen, Jared is your best friend for crying out loud and I work with him every day and he is here with someone else but even if we ignore all that and I was that type of woman what the hell does it matter to you?” All of a sudden Danneel was angry and the beer that had her flirty before was now giving her the courage to say what she was really thinking to this man who was playing with her mind and her body when he belonged to someone else.

 “It matters.” He answered quietly

 “Not to you it doesn’t. It is none of your business.”

 “When it is in all the mags’ it’s my business, when it’s on paparazzi web sites it’s my business, when you are sleeping with an older married man, it is my business.” He growled in anger as he slammed his hand against the wall

 “Why? Why Jensen? We have only worked together a couple of weeks and you know nothing about me. Why is it your business?”

 “Because if you will sleep with him maybe you will do me.” Jensen growled and pressed his body against hers before dropping his head to punish her with a rough kiss. Danni could feel his body’s reaction to being this close to her. Her mouth opened and she battled with him, matching his anger and frustration. When his hand slid down to cup her breast Danneel roughly pulled her mouth away from his and pulled in oxygen

 “Get off me.” She snarled and pushed him away, “Is that what you really think of me? That I am someone with so few morals that I would do a married man and hey if I can do that then I wouldn’t mind being your bit on the side until you get married”

 “When you and I are together like this I can’t think of anything at all except being buried so deep in you the want will stop.”

 “Then get away from me” she snapped and walked away

 “Danni.” He grabbed her arm, spun her around and kissed her roughly again.

 “No Jensen.” She pulled away, “You have completely insulted me, what do you expect?” She threw his hand off her and walked away.

            Jensen stood there and watched her walk towards the door of the stadium. She was angry as hell but even in stilettos and skin tight jeans she moved gracefully and as he stood there he noticed a number of men stop and stare at her as she went past. He resisted the urge to yell at every single one of them to get their eyes off her.

 

 “What now?” Danneel snapped as she picked up the phone on Sunday morning after being woken up again

 “Danneel it’s your father.”

 “Oh God dad what happened now?”

 “The whole of the gossip websites are full of Jensen and some mystery woman this morning.”

 “What happened?”

 “Jensen and Jared were both seen getting up close and personal with a mystery blonde at the basketball last night.”

  “I’ll see you soon.” Danni sighed as she threw back the bed covers. This was a conversation she would need to have face to face

 

“Has Jensen or Joanna made a statement regarding this story?” Danneel asked as she looked at a photo of Jared looking down her shirt. She had already cringed at the other photo of her getting up close and personal with Jensen in the corridor.

 “I haven’t heard from Joanna, Jensen says this woman is just a friend and the photos are doctored”

 “Dad Jensen loves Joanna and they are still planning a wedding. This whole thing is a misunderstanding.”

 “Really? Tell that to the bimbo he went home with last night.”

 “You are.”

 “What?”

 “It was me dad and I did not go home with him.” Danni said and opened her handbag to pull out the wig

 “You? That was your shirt Jared was looking down?”

 “Look at the photos dad, do they look like my real boobs? Jared was just seeing what was down there.”

 “And this photo? This is a silhouette of you that Jensen was getting very friendly with?”

 “He was not getting up close. We were having an argument and he leaned in so people wouldn’t hear it.”

 “Well he must have leaned in bloody close because I heard his tongue was in your mouth.” He snapped

 “Hey!” she snapped back

 “I’m sorry.” Edward sighed and rubbed his hands over his face, “But Danneel...” he sighed again and Danneel could see something was bothering him

  “What’s wrong dad?”

 “There is something that I need to tell you off the record so you can be prepared, I have heard a rumour and the story may break at any time.”

 “Ok I’m now worried, are you and mum ok?”

 “Oh we’re perfect except for the fact that I am having an affair with a gorgeous, young, red headed woman; which by the way is making me more of a man in the studio’s eyes and is getting your mother invited to a lot more functions.”

 “So what’s about to break?”

 “You dated Riley from Summer Mysteries for a while?”

 “One date and a couple of phone calls, it died off because I was on the road and he needed someone to adore him twenty four seven.”

 “He has been in a secret relationship with someone for a couple of weeks now.”

 “Man or woman?”

 “Good question. Woman.”

 “Ok so I’m guessing the who is the scandalous part?”

 “Joanna.”

 “Joanna? Jensen’s Joanna?”

 “Apparently.”

 “Do we have proof?”

 “It is just hear say at the moment. I have a meeting with Joanna and her manager tomorrow morning, I’m just hoping they do nothing stupid before then.”

“What do we do from here?”

 “Nothing. As I said it is just rumour and it’s not up to us to interfere anyway. These are grown people who have to live their lives, the only time we step in officially is if they put the reputation of the studio in jeopardy.”

 “So why tell me? To do my head in?”

 “No. If it does come out you will need to be a buffer between Jensen and the media and be there for him. If this is true it won’t be just the paparazzi that follow the story, main stream media will be interested also.”

 “I hope the studio is setting up a larger security team.”

 “We have one on standby. They will be on set the day the news breaks, if it is true and if it does break, as I said this is all unofficial and hear say at the moment.”

 “Poor Jensen.”

 “Your mother says you have a bit of a thing for him.”

 “Are you asking as my father or as my employer?”

 “Your father obviously, I have nothing to worry about as your employer.”

“We just kissed once.” Danneel lied

 “Maybe I do have something to worry about?” he fowned

 “I was just one kiss.”

 “Ok take this as coming from both your father and your employer.”

 “Here we go.” She rolled her eyes

 “If this story does break then Jensen is going to be under close scrutiny. Be very careful what you do and who sees the two of you together. I don’t want you inadvertently being the other woman. Joanna’s camp will fight hard to keep her image clean, if it does break I can guarantee they will try to turn it around to say it was somehow Jensen’s fault and there has already been two lots of photos of you with him.”

 “Dad, it was one kiss, that’s all, nothing is going on between us for us to be seen anywhere doing anything.”

 “That’s what you said last week before photos of you showed up everywhere this morning. I’m saying this for your own good, just be careful, even on set, spies are everywhere.”

 “Dad I am already having an affair with Jensen and with you if you go off what the pap sites say or I could just be a high class escort keeping you both entertained. Either way I don’t think my rep can get much worse at the moment.”

 “Yes it can sweetie, it’ll only take one person to reveal your name and then things will turn ugly.”

 “Yes but then after a little hunting it will also be revealed you are actually my father, not my older married sugar daddy.”

 “You know I think your mother will be a little disappointed when that is finally revealed.”

 “I love you dad, can I go home now?”

 “Yes.”

 

            Danneel was woken by her phone beeping that she had received a message. Before she could answer it both her mobile and home phones rang. Her home phone was her parents’ house so she answered that first

 “Hello.”

 “It happened.”

 “Sorry?” she asked still asleep

 “The story broke last night. Turn on your TV and check some of the web sites. We have shut down production for a couple of days so Jensen can get his head around this.”

 “Are you going into work?” she asked her father as she threw back the covers and climbed out of bed now wide awake.

 “No, I’m working from home today, there will be less chaos here.”

 “See you soon.” Danneel said and reached for her other phone, sure enough the message on her mobile was the studio telling her not to go to set.

            When she got to her parent’s house she sat down at one of the computers and brought up a pap website. There was a photo of Joanna and Riley entwined in a hot tub. It was grainy so it had probably been taken with a telephoto lens from a large distance but you could recognise that it was her, you could see that she was topless and you could see her engagement ring.

            Next to that photo were the rehashed photos of her and Jensen at the basketball game and the innuendo that either Joanna was retaliating or that the engagement had been cancelled without the media being informed. All in all it implied combined cheating and all Danneel could think was how was Jensen taking this? They had had a moment but Jensen was still committed to this engagement and this would be a huge shock to him. The only advantage of this media speculation is that it would lessen the limelight and stop him being tormented with questions of why

 “Have you spoken to anyone dad?”

 “I have left messages on Jensen’s and Joanna’s phones and I have made contact with both their managers. As soon as they have spoken to their clients they will call me back.”

            The door bell rang and Edward and Danneel looked at each other.

 “Media?”

 “I don’t think so, they wouldn’t be following me, they would be following Jensen and Joanna.” And they both got up to go to the door

 “Jensen!” Danneel gasped.

“Jensen how can I help you with son? Danneel and I were just discussing this weekend’s papers. Been interesting reading both days”

“Did she tell you it was her in those photos?” the shock of seeing Danneel and Edward answering the door together making the question abrupt

 “Yes.”

 “And you’re ok with that?” Jensen snapped

 “No I’m not. I told her on Friday night to try and keep herself out of the limelight.”

 “That’s all you have to say about the fact that there is a photo of Jared looking down her shirt.”

 “Well there is also a photo of you getting a little more personal than that.”

 “You know about that?”

 “We have no secrets from each other.” Edward said as he looked down at Danneel.

            Jensen felt confusion rather than anger. Maybe these two really did care for each other? What did anyone know about this executive except what was printed in the papers occasionally? He tried to remember if he had seen Edward with a wife the last time he came for a barbeque. Maybe these two really did have a loving relationship or maybe Edward had got divorced and it was not media worthy? Looking at the two of them here in the doorway they looked comfortable and relaxed with each other, there was no nervousness or guilt at all. All of these things would make more sense if he and Danneel didn’t have the chemistry they had. She could not be fully committed to this relationship if she reacted the way she did whenever they touched or kissed Jensen reasoned with himself while completely ignoring the fact that he was in a committed relationship and was himself reacting to the chemistry.

 “Jensen are you ok?” He looked atrocious. His hair was sticking out in all directions, he had old jeans and a torn t-shirt on. He probably hadn’t shaved since Saturday and his eyes were red rimmed

“Jensen come into the house son.”

 “I can’t come into that house with the two of you. Not after what I have just been through.”

 “Jensen please come inside and I will make you some coffee.” Danneel said

   “Hon is everything ok out here?” Danneel’s mother called as she came down the hall, “Oh its Jensen isn’t it? I have seen photos of you but they don’t do you justice.”

 “What the hell is going on here?” Jensen cried out, here stood this man with his arm around a younger beautiful woman and the wife seemed to be completely in on it. He had walked into a parallel world

 “Jensen, Edward Graul is my father. My step father officially but my father. This is my mother Deborah. “

 “What? Your father?”

 “We would appreciate it if you don’t spread this around Jensen. Danneel came to the studio to help me out with Estelle when no one else could handle her. She was about to go back to uni when I told her about your special case. Danneel asked that no one at work know so she could be treated the same as everyone else.”

 “So you’re not the older married man she is having an affair with?”

 “Oh that’s me alright, it’s just not what the papers say. I was picking Danneel up from the airport because I knew it was going to be ugly there that day and she’d just had that panic attack. I didn’t realise that she didn’t know about the photo until afterwards.”

 “Jensen what’s going on in that head of yours?” Danneel asked as she took a step forward to talk quietly to him

 “I don’t know. I feel like this whole thing is out of control”

 “And Joanna?”

 “She’s calling, I can’t talk to her right now.”

 “She’s probably wondering what’s going on with you also, you both had pretty damning photos published.” Edward said

 “Yeah but we all know the truth about ours.”

  “So maybe hers are as innocent. You won’t know until you take the phone call.”

 “I am just so tired.”

 “I know. You’re almost to the end of the season.”

 “Then I have to go straight onto the movie set. I don’t get a break, I need a break.”

 “Come in and have some coffee. You’re away from your house and the paparazzi, you can relax here.” Deborah said with a friendly smile

 “I don’t want to intrude.”

 “Ah but you’re not. We have a guest cottage out the back where numerous people have fled to when needing some space. Danneel will show you. We will leave you alone unless you want anything, you can have some time and space to get your thoughts together.”


	11. Yowza

“Are you ok? I know you were seeing that Riley douche.” Jensen asked as they walked through the house  
“I only saw him a couple of times.”  
“You don’t seem surprised by any of this?”  
“Jensen I am not engaged to someone like you are in all this.” Danneel said to avoid answering the question.  
“Wow.” They had come out to the back patio which was landscaped for parties, there was a pool and spa as well as a built in bar and outdoor kitchen. There was a large gazebo and numerous loungers and chairs.  
“Come on, that’s the cottage over there.” She nodded towards a structure that was larger than her own house  
“I bet it has seen some action in its time.”  
“My dad is old school. He would never dream of cheating on my mother and he will not instigate such philandering. This is set up for people who need to escape the media, recuperate, detox, heal either physically or psychologically, it is not set up as a boudoir.”  
“Listen to you talk, like you are from another era, miss prim and proper.”  
“Really? Miss Prim and proper would let you kiss her when you are engaged and then continue to let you do so? Does that sound like someone who lives in black and white.”  
“No, thank God.”  
“Changed your tune from Saturday night haven’t you?”  
“I am sorry about that. Jealousy took over, I thought you were with Graul and the fact that you kissed Jared had me seeing red.”  
“I’m not yours to be jealous over.”  
“I feel like you are.”  
“Jensen you’re engaged.”  
“Not anymore.”  
“Jensen you are engaged. You have not spoken to Joanna, it could be completely innocent like you and I at the airport. You love this woman and want to spend the rest of your life with her.”  
“I don’t know what I want anymore. Things seem more confusing now than they were a month ago.”  
“Do not make any decisions until you have talked to her. I’ll send some coffee out, just sit back and relax and think about your future before you make any rash decisions.”

“Hey.” Jensen said a couple of hours later when Joanna opened the door of her agent’s house. It seemed they had both fled their houses.  
“Hi. Come in.” Jensen entered and small talk was made while Joanna’s agent made them coffee and then disappeared into another part of the house.  
“So we have both had stories written about us this weekend, I’ll tell you about mine if you tell me about yours.” Jensen said to start the conversation  
“Was yours true?”  
“Not really.”  
“Mine was.”  
“So you and Riley...”  
“You remember that night that we first met him with your PA? Well he was so gorgeous I made a couple of enquiries and got his phone number.”  
“You blatantly admit it? Is it because we are only engaged? Was it a pre marital thing?”  
“I don’t know.” She shrugged  
“I need to know what you are thinking Joanna?”  
“Before I answer that I need you to answer one question for me.”  
“Ok.”  
“What does marriage mean to you?”  
“Exactly as the vows say, for better or worse, in sickness and in health until death do us part. Or in our case through paparazzi headlines, through periods when no one knows your name and periods where you are so popular someone tattoos your name on their ass. I want children, I want grandchildren, I want it all. What does marrying me mean to you?”  
“Jensen I thought of you as a great first husband.”  
“What?” Jensen felt like he had been physically slapped  
“It’s obvious that I’m going to be a star and go places so there is no way I can guarantee that I will be faithful or that I’ll want to be married to you the whole of my life. Someone else might come along that will suit me, my image or my career better and I can’t have children, what would that do to my body?”  
“Are you serious or are you taking the piss out of me. No one says what you have just said out loud.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because it makes you sound completely self absorbed and shallow.”  
“But at least I am telling the truth.”  
“So why did you say yes?”  
“For the same reason you asked me. The publicity, the big wedding that everyone would want to copy and then the building of a home that would be in all the magazines that we would throw the best parties at.”  
“No. I asked you because I loved you and wanted to settle down, wanted a base that I could come home to after being away all week.”  
“So you wanted security, do you really love me? Can you see us together in fifty years time?”  
“Honestly no I can’t anymore and I don’t know any more if I do love you or honestly did love you, sorry I don’t think that came out right. So what about Riley?”  
“Just a fling that I accidentally got careless with. Pretty but of no career value to me so no one important. I will make the proper announcement tomorrow. What about the woman on Saturday night?”  
“Just someone I invited to walk the carpet with me since you bailed, no one of any importance; again the paparazzi took everything out of context and made the photos look more sinister than they are. I believed in giving us a go Joanna and never slept with anyone else.”  
“You are so sweet Jensen. I was wrong to say yes because I knew right from the beginning you were too nice for me.”  
“So that’s it?”  
“Guess so.” Joanna said as she slid the diamond ring off her finger, “Here.”  
“Keep it.”  
“No. I won’t argue over this.”  
“I’ll sell it and we’ll donate the money under both of our names. That will be good publicity for us after this.”  
“Yep, way too nice for me. Thanks Jensen.” Joanna and Jensen stood and she gave him a quick kiss on the lips before walking him out.

Danneel sat at her parent’s outside dining setting trying to study but it was futile. The sun was giving a beautiful show of setting, the birds were making a huge amount of noise and Jensen had walked silently past her before and straight into the cottage.  
Her dad had told her to leave him alone to work things out on his own and it was literally paining her to sit here and not see if he needed anything or to talk. She felt that as his PA she should be there but again Edward was right, this was a personal matter that he would come to her with if he needed her.  
After another half hour she surrendered to the need and went to knock on the door.  
“Are you ok?” she asked quietly when he opened the door  
“Great. Just great.” He said sarcastically  
“Do you need anything?”  
“Yes.”  
“Ok, what can I get you?”  
“Another lemon, another shot glass and you.”  
“Um Jensen...”  
“I just want to talk Danni. Jared’s phone is turned off and I need to just sit and talk with someone, I am grateful to your parents for letting me be here but I can’t handle this silence much more.”  
“So what’s your poison in there?”  
“Tequila.”  
Danneel knocked on the door again a few minutes later with some lemons, limes, another shot glass and some biscuits, cheeses and dips.  
“You are such a good and responsible person Danneel.”  
“I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.” She said as he poured her a shot from a bottle that was already missing the top quarter  
“I know exactly what you mean.”  
“Why?”  
“That’s what Joanna said to me before, I am too good for her, but it almost sounds like an insult. One of many she threw at me unintentionally when I was around there before.” They both threw the shots back and took a piece of lemon  
“So you and Joanna?”  
“Does that answer your question?” Jensen said and pointed at the coffee table where a huge piece of bling glittered in the light  
“I’m sorry Jensen. How do you feel?”  
“I honestly can’t answer that question and that is the one question I have been trying to answer for the last hour. It was true about her and Riley you know.” He said as he poured them more shots  
“Why?”  
“See that is a good question, another question I have been trying to answer myself for the last hour.” He said after they threw them back and sucked  
“Some people are never happy with what they have in front of them.”  
“Look at this body, if you get on the computer there are hundreds, thousands of photos of me, women and some men drool over me.”  
“That’s true.”  
“There are websites dedicated to my ass alone.”  
“Again I know, I have seen most of them.”  
“And you are right there are some sick people that have tattoos of me, which freaks me out, because I mean how good am I going to look in fifty years on the skin of someone’s ass” he was starting to slur a little as the tequila caught up with him “I have had to put a lot of frickin time and effort into this body to have it adored by the masses.”  
“I think it’s your down to earth personality and humility that won them over.”  
“Hey don’t patronise me, do not patronise me. I just found out that my fiancé is doing it with some piece of fluff who wears tights for a living”  
“Sorry and yes it is a very nice body.”  
“Sorry ex fiancé. Hang on did you just say nice?”  
“You have a nice body Jensen, as you just pointed out you are aware of this.”  
“Nice? Nice? Again I think I have just been insulted.”  
“What do you want me to say? That you could bounce a coin off your ass? You already know that, that your guns are huge and your abs make women’s mouth water? Again a noted and photographed fact. As you said you work hard and exercise hard to look like you do and I am not fooled for a minute that it’s so you can be drooled over. I know you well enough now to know that if you worked at a desk and no one in the world saw you, you would do exactly the same thing. Don’t come across as some narcissistic celebrity to me ok cause I have seen you covered in crap from head to toe and limping after falling out of a moving car on set.”  
“So have I ever made your mouth water?”  
“Jensen.” Danni sighed  
“What?”  
“Have another shot.” She poured tequila into the glasses, held hers up in a silent salute and drank it.  
Jensen sat on the couch with his legs on the coffee table while Danni sat in an arm chair and they talked. He told her exactly what Joanna had said and then smiled silently as she stomped around the furniture ranting about someone being that shallow. He talked about his future plans and movie scripts he was thinking of taking and Danni agreed or argued with him. He had forgotten that she had read most of the scripts they talked about and so another lively discussion started on what would keep him going in the direction he wanted to go and what would make him look like a laughing stock.  
He felt so relaxed and comfortable sitting here with her like this, he could never remember having this kind of conversation with Joanna and if Jared had been here they would have done more chest banging and name calling. He felt like he could talk about anything with Danneel and she would take it seriously and give a proper answer; not think of her own career or how to sabotage his or be jealous that he had been offered a roll.  
“God look at the time, I gotta go. So do you think you’re ready to go back to work?”  
“No I’ve already told Edward I need a couple of days off. Joanna is having a press conference tomorrow so I need to be here for that and I just need time to be me.”  
“What do you need me to do?”  
“Nothing. I have emailed the film producer telling him I might be a few days late and when this story starts hitting the papers he’ll know why. Edward has organised Super so I’m done.”  
“Hey I’m your PA I’m meant to be doing all that. You’ll make me redundant.”  
“Well if you had come in earlier instead of sitting out there studying leaving me in here all alone you could have.”  
“So I guess that means I have some time off also.”  
“Yes so you don’t have to hurry home.”  
“Home? Dude there is enough tequila in me for me start doing the Mexican hat dance. I was just going as far as my bedroom here.” She said as she walked to the door again  
“Danni I want to kiss you.”  
“Well we both know that is a bad idea.”  
“Absolutely but this is just a goodnight kiss to thank you for being here.”  
“Ok.” Danni said and lifted her cheek for a polite peck. She heard a husky laugh come from him before the onslaught.  
She couldn’t not open her mouth to him, she couldn’t not wrap her arms around his neck to stay standing as Jensen devoured her and there was no other word for it. The taste of lemon zinged her tongue and she inhaled the woodiness of his cologne. His hands seemed to go everywhere before resting on her hips and pulling her close to him and as he took a step forward and she found herself up against a wall she could not help but let out a little moan and let her hands do some investigating of their own. They slid down his chest and then up under his shirt before scraping across the skin of those mouth watering abs, and at the moment her mouth was watering. Jensen’s hands slid around to cup her buttocks and he slid his knee between her legs to spread them so he could rest there. They both let out groans and Jensen’s head dropped down so he could suckle on one of her nipples through her shirt.  
“Oh God” she moaned and Jensen caught her with a chuckle as she started to slide down the wall.  
“What you do to me Dee.” He whispered before taking her lips again and rubbing himself against her.  
“Ok stopping now.” She sighed and pushed Jensen away  
“Why?”  
“So that when we wake up tomorrow sober we can look at each other without embarrassment.”  
“Too late for that so I think we should just keep going.” Jensen said as he nibbled down her neck and his hands started wandering again  
“Jen.” It came out as a hiss as his hands slid into the waist of her jeans  
“Yes?”  
“We have to stop.” She replied but it came out as a moan as his hands slid to the exact spot that was hot and wet and throbbing for him  
“No. I want you to come for me Danni. I want to see that look in your eyes when you lose control.” He whispered in between nips down her neck and across her collar bone as his fingers explored and his knee rocked into her.  
Danneel could feel the sweet tension build and she could see the absolute desire in Jensen’s face as he watched her through half closed eyes. If she just closed her own eyes and relaxed for a minute she could let herself take the trip Jensen was offering but she didn’t know what was going through his mind and she didn’t want him doing something he would regret when he sobered. She let out a groan but inside her head was using all sorts of swearwords her dad would have a fit she even knew, as she grabbed Jensen’s wrists and pulled his hands out from her jeans. She then stepped back and out of his force field.  
“Danni don’t go.”  
“Jensen I will be honest with you, I don’t want to. I want to taste you and feel you and suck and nibble and Oh God I want it all but I can’t. I know we will both regret it tomorrow. I will regret being your rebound sex toy and I know you. You will regret having used me this way. But I am sorry for leaving you like this.” She said as her hand lightly fluttered across the bulging zip of his jeans.  
“Danni I have wanted you for weeks. This is just giving into that need now I no longer have anything blocking me.”  
“I think you should mourn the loss of your engagement and then maybe after next week...”  
“I’ll be like Riley.” He snarled  
“What?”  
“You forget I was there that first night when you said maybe to him.”  
“And look how well that scenario turned out.”  
“You’re right. You should go and I should go and stand under the cold shower. The way I feel right now I might be there all night.”  
“You could make the shower hot and steamy and then just close your eyes and imagine.” Danni stepped close and whispered in his ear.  
“God damn you woman.” Jensen said before grabbing her and kissing her roughly. Danni responded and her lips were bruised by the time they broke apart to gasp for air  
“Night.” She whispered and slipped out the door before he could grab her again.


	12. Relationship Hangover

            Danneel sat on the patio the next morning cursing the bird she could not see to throw something at that was so loud it was making her head cringe. She held the coffee mug in her hand and breathed in the steam before getting up the courage to take the first gulp

 “Morning.” Jensen said from behind her in such a chirpy voice she thought about throwing something at him instead of the bird.

 “Whatever.” Was her surly response

 “Hey no embarrassment but some great dreams.”

 “Go away Jensen. If you were going to wake up so great you could have gone to work.” She muttered as he jogged past her

 “Ok mental note made Saturday, not good in the mornings, mental note today, even worse after drinking.”

 “Jensen!”

 “What?”

 “If you want to help me go find that damn bird and shut it the hell up.”

 “Ha, this is fantastic.” He said with a full bodied laugh as he went towards the cottage.

 “Fine.” Danneel muttered and stood up to walk to the back of the lawn. She could hear she was getting close to the incessant chirping and started tip toeing up to it.

 “Uh Danni?” Jensen asked confused by her actions

 “Shh.” She hissed but too late the bird took flight. She was not sure who out of the three of them, including the bird, was more surprised when she tried to throw her coffee mug at it

 “Seriously? You just tried to maim a bird for chirping.”

 “Loudly ok, it was chirping loudly.”

 “You are hilarious.”

 “That’s why I’m here, for your amusement, it’s part of my job.” She muttered as she walked back to pour herself another mug

“Are you coming with me?”

 “Where?”

 “Joanna’s press conference.”

 “When?”

 “An hour.”

 “No.”

 “Why?”

 “Do I look like I’m in the state to be ready and over the other side of town in an hour.”

 “I take it you don’t drink much?”

 “No, I do not have time to spend hours partying hard and I think it is definitely safe to say I do not have the time to get over it the next morning.”

 “Come on Danni. You will be in the back ground as my PA. I have seen you get ready in a few minutes before and if you’re worried just think no one will see you anyway. Have a quick shower, put that coffee in a travel mug and we’re good to go.”

 “I just want you to know I hate you so much right now.”

 “Ok.” He said before laughing, giving her a quick kiss on the top of her head and turning, “Don’t even think it, you’re going to run out of coffee mugs.” He said as he jogged off and Danneel smiled, damned if he couldn’t read her mind.

 

Jensen and Danneel sat in a room set up for the studio execs to watch Joanna’s interview. There were a couple of other people milling around including Jensen’s agent and Edward. Jared walked in and Danni almost cried when Jensen stood up and she witnessed the manly hug the two shared.

 “Sorry man”

 “It’s ok.”

 “My phone was off and I was at the beach house, I didn’t know until I saw the news this morning why shooting was postponed.”

 “I’m good. I spent the night at Edward’s house with Danni.”

 “What?” Danneel watched as Jared looked at her and Edward and then Jensen.

 “He’s her father man.”

 “Who?”

 “Edward Graul is Danni’s father.”

 “Well that explains a lot. So Joanna?”

 “I think it’s safe to say since we’re at a media conference that it was all true.” Jensen replied and Jared grabbed his arm to direct him to a quiet part of the room away from everyone else

 “So what now?”

 “So now I am a single man again who could probably start to take advantage of some of those fans like you do.”

 “Yeah but that’s me man, that’s not you.”

 “I can do it.”

 “Yeah you can give it a go but are you really single?” Jared said and nodded in Danneel’s direction. He turned to look at her. She was on her mobile phone, writing something down and gesturing to his agent. Although she thought she looked like crap he thought she looked fantastic in a black skirt and an aqua silk shirt that made her eyes look bottomless. She had a smile on her face and he watched his agent actually blink and then straighten up as he walked over to her, he knew that smile, it was as if you were the most important person in the room.

 “What do you mean?”

 “Jensen this is your chance to be a celebrity bachelor. Man you have no idea what or who is thrown at you when you are single.”

 “I am single.”

 “Are you? Have you tapped that yet?” he said as he nodded towards Danni again

 “No!” Jensen gave him an ‘are you kidding look’

 “Are you gonna?”

 “Are you?” he retaliated

 “Maybe and I can because I am single and I know how to play the game.”

 “You are not going near her. Remember you’re the one who told me she’s not like the bimbos who throw themselves at us.”

 “And you were the one saying that because of Joanna you couldn’t. Now you can. Get her out of your system and then when she’s gone at the end of the season I’ll introduce you to my world.”

 “I’m surprised your world hasn’t made your junk fall off yet and I’m not sure I want to fully immerse myself in the hedonism you call your life.”

 “And Danni?”

 “I don’t know, not every decision has to be made today.”

 “Well all I’m saying is don’t do something stupid, take a step back and reassess. “

 “Stupid like?”

 “Plunge into another relationship.” Jared hissed as he smiled towards Danneel who gestured to them it was about to begin.

 “There is no way in hell I am jumping into another relationship straight away. I could not stand going through all that pain, torture, being tied down to one woman and all the media speculation again for a long time. I want to sit back and relax and be free and it’ll be one less thing I have to worry about with the show and the movies and everything.” Jensen said as they walked over

 

            Danneel slid to the back of the room and let everyone else crowd around the monitor. Up until the minute Jensen had said he did not want a relationship she did not know what she had or had not wanted but she still felt as if she had been brushed off. She didn’t do one night stands although while she stood there looking at him she thought back to the comments her mother made a few weeks ago about getting out there and having wild sex just for the hell of it. She knew with Jensen it would be a hell of a ride she just didn’t know if she would survive the aftermath.

            The press conference went well and everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief as Joanna answered as she was advised to do. Although it had been discussed what Joanna should say no one could have been a hundred percent sure that she didn’t go off on a tangent for sensationalism. She watched the monitor as Jensen went out to sit with his ex-fiancé, to show a united front and she held her breath as questions about Saturday night were thrown at him.

 “Both Joanna and I thank you for your support at this time but this is a decision made by both of us to separate and there were no other parties involved in this decision.” He said without answering

 “There were photos of you in the paper with a blonde and then photos of Joanna in the paper with Riley, how can you say there were no other parties involved Mr Ackles.”

 “Quite easily, there weren’t. We made this decision because our lives have taken different directions than we anticipated when we first met two years ago and when we got engaged earlier this year. We will both be in each other’s lives as friends because we have shared a lot but we have made the decision not to add to the divorce statistics in this country.”

“Mr Ackles...”

 “Danneel.” An accented voice called to her turning her attention from the monitor

 “Riley.”

“Not going to slap me again are you?”

“No. Not going out there to show a united front?”

 “No, she doesn’t want me there. As you can see from that I am no one of consequence, just someone she played around with.”

 “That’s being a bit harsh on yourself isn’t it?”

 “Those are her words not mine.”

 “And you’re ok with being used like that by this bleached blonde upstart?” Danneel was really starting to despise this woman, first with what she said to Jensen and now Riley. Did she really think that much of herself that she could just chew up good men and spit them out like they were everywhere for her to pick and choose? All Danneel could hope was that karma had something in store for her.

 “I think I am in love with this woman.”

 “Really? Joanna?” Danneel knew her face showed shock and doubt

 “Yes I know she is shallow and self obsessed. She has told me straight that if someone who is better than me comes along she will dump me in a minute. I know all this in my head but when I wake up in the morning and look at her on the pillow beside me my world just feels right.” Riley sighed as he looked at the monitor which showed Joanna and Jensen now standing

 “Then make it that there is no one better out there for her.” Danni said as she took his hand. Joanna may talk the talk but if she was still in this man’s bed in the morning and not skulking off in the middle of night maybe she actually had feelings too, feelings she would not admit.

 “And what about this lumberjack?”

 “Well obviously she didn’t love him or we wouldn’t be here now.”

 “Yes but what about you?”

 “No I don’t think she loved me either.” Danneel said with a smile to avoid answering.

 “You are a comedian. I meant you and the lumberjack.”

 “Not that it is any of your business since we went on, oh, one date, but there is nothing between me and Jensen but a professional relationship.”

 “Good luck with everything Danneel and I really am sorry for what I implied at the convention.” Riley said and scooped her up into a hug.

 “You too.” She said and gave him a kiss on the cheek

            Jensen came back into the room and saw red as he watched Riley tenderly embrace Danneel.

 “God every time I turn around she is in the arms of some man.”

 “Yeah but now you know most of the time it was just her father.”

 “And that?”

 “That is something you don’t have to worry about since you are not jumping straight into another relationship but are going to enjoy relaxing and being free remember.”

 “Shut up.” He growled

 “Man just tap her already and get her out of your system. It’s just sex, it’s a no brainer.”

 “With her I don’t think it would be just sex.”

 “Man you need to get out on the town and grow some balls, you’re starting to sound like a chick.”

 “A chick that will kick your ass if you don’t shut up. Everything is just too damn hard at the    moment.”

 “Well then let’s go, what’s your shot of choice.”

 “Jack.”

 “Jack it is man. There is a club down town that will satisfy both our needs.”

 “And they are?”

 “Bourbon and women in sequins, and very few of those.”

 “Seriously man how is it that you’re junk hasn’t fallen off yet?”

 “Cause if it’s not on it’s not on.” Jared said with a slap on his back before leading him towards the door

 “You two boys right there?” Danneel asked, with what she hoped was a carefree smile on her face, as they walked past her

 “Yep. We’re men off to do men things.”

 “Cool so you’ll both be at work tomorrow with ‘ _I luv mom_ ’ tattoos on your arms?”

 “Maybe but not before we’ve done some shots and seen some strippers, sorry exotic dancers.”

 “Really?” Danni answered sarcastically

 “Hey we’re single men now Danni we can do whatever the hell we want and don’t have to answer to anyone.”

 “You’ll have to answer to the studio if you do anything stupid son.” Edward said from behind them.

 “Come on before your mouth gets you in more trouble.” Jensen said and walked out the door

 “Don’t worry Danni, I won’t let anything happen to him. We’ll be back safe and sound.” Jared dropped the act to say to her.

 “And at work?” Edward asked

 “Maybe give us a day to get over it.” Jared said with a wink before giving her a quick kiss on the forehead and walking out the door.

 

            Danneel flopped down onto her couch and stared at the ceiling. Beside her was a text book she was meant to be studying for an exam next week that she was nowhere ready for. On the floor was a newspaper open at the double page spread of Jensen and Jared out on the town. He seemed to have tagged a blonde that was in most of the photos with him and as the night went on the photos seemed to get more intimate. The last one of them getting into a car together was the one that had her now staring up and trying to decide what to do. Rightfully she could ask to be taken off this assignment now. She had been there as a buffer between Jensen and Joanna and that was no longer needed. They could send out extra security to stop any media hassles on set and she could finally go back to getting on with her life, which at the moment meant trying to salvage what was left of her post doctorate course.  She did love Jensen but he needed to live his life, his high profile, followed by paparazzi life; and she needed to sink back into oblivion. The plan had been, and would be again, a teaching or lecturing position after she had finished this course although her father, yet again, said he could offer her a position at the studios with her degree.

            Was she going to miss the day to day excitement of a studio set? Yes. Was she going to miss being out in the back woods living in a caravan? No. Was she going to miss the crews she had befriended in the last two years at the studio? Definitely. Was she going to miss Jared and Jensen? Oh yeah. Was she going to miss being harangued by media every time they moved? Hell no. Did she know what she wanted for the future? Did not have one clue! She sighed, got up and went to the telephone.

 “Hey dad. How’s everything going?”

 “Chaos but controlled chaos. What’s up?”

 “Well since Jensen is no longer with Joanna I don’t think you need me to go out there anymore do you?”

 “Well there is all the media...”

 “That’s what security staff are for dad. I was a PA, we are well aware how well I handled the last media swarm.”

  “So you don’t want to go back?”

 “No I don’t think it’s necessary. I’m not needed there and I have an exam next week that I am nowhere near ready for.”

 “Is this all this is about? It has nothing to do with Jensen? I saw the photos this morning.”

 “Dad I told you it was one kiss weeks and weeks ago. This has nothing to do with Jensen and everything to do with the fact that I have put my life on hold for two years now to help you out and I now want to get back on track.” She snapped

 “Honey I’m sorry if what I asked was detrimental to your career and of course I will do anything I can to help you including taking you straight off the assignment.” Danni sighed when she heard the hurt in his voice.

 “I’m sorry dad, I didn’t mean to snap. I’m just tired and I’m stressed about this damn exam. For two years straight I have been studying or working on a set. I can’t remember the last time I just relaxed. It’s just all catching up with me; this last assignment was more full on than I anticipated. Being on location and not able to come home every night is stressful and all the media coverage, I worked anonymously on Summer Mysteries for two years and in the four weeks I was with Supernatural I appeared in the mags twice. I want to be able to be just me again.”

 “Ok sweetie, I know and you’re right, I asked more of you than I should have. The season is almost finished anyway so I’ll let the boys know.”

 “No I’ll tell them when I go out there tomorrow. I’ve got to get my stuff from the caravan anyway.”

 “Ok sweetie, anything you need let me know.”

 “I know dad, love you.” Danni said and could feel tears forming.

 “Love you too.” He hung up the phone and Danneel went back to the couch and burst into tears.

            She did not know why she was crying. Yes she was separating herself from Jensen, the man she loved, but she had got her freedom and she was getting what she had been begging for the last two years, her life back. It was just the exhaustion of the last month catching up with her and she managed to turn her mobile phone off before crying herself to sleep on the couch.

******

            Jensen was dressed and made up and was now pacing his trailer waiting for Danni to show up. He got in late last night and came straight to his trailer, he was sure he saw the light on in her caravan but he must have been wrong because when he went there this morning it was empty except for some clothes.

 “Where the hell is she?”

 “Who?” Danneel asked as she came through the door. She looked cool, calm and professional as usual but he could see shadows under her eyes and her smile did not quite reach that far.

 “You. I was getting worried. I thought you would be here when I got here.”

 “Oh, I thought you might have been talking about the blonde from the photos. She’s not going to pop up around here anywhere is she?” Danneel asked calmly as she looked around the trailer.

 “Danni, she was just a hanger on, that’s all.”

 “Someone who hung on right to the very end from what I saw.”

 “Jealous?”

 “Nope just want to make sure I am not going to get any surprises while sitting here working.” She said as she turned her back on him.

 “Danni what’s going on?”

 “Nothing why?”

 “Well last time we were together we were pretty intimate and now you can’t even look me in the eyes.”

 “We got drunk and kissed a bit, that’s all Jensen. Don’t make it more than it was. Aren’t you meant to be on set.”

 “No, they can wait.”

 “Jensen go.”

 “This isn’t finished.”

 “Fine I’m here tonight, we’ll continue with what you think isn’t finished then.”

 

Jensen raced back to his trailer, today had been a shit of a day and they were trying to push as much as possible into the days to make up for the three days missed because of his personal life. There was even talk of working through the weekend which was making everyone even more charming than usual.  When he opened his door Roger came bounding over but Danni was nowhere to be seen. He had been festering on this all day so he was going to finish his debate with her

 “Danni.” He tried her trailer door but it was locked

 “Go away.”

 “No, let me in, we need to finish our discussion.”

 “Jensen just go away, I’m kind of busy at the moment”

 “What the hell are you doing in there that you can’t let me in?” he snapped

“If you must know, girl things.”

“Girl things?” Jensen’s voice dropped a couple of octaves as images flashed through his head

“Yes and stop thinking whatever it is I can hear you thinking from in here”

“Now I am really intrigued, come on spill.”

“If you really must know I am shaving my legs, it’s not like someone gets paid to shave me every day” she said as she opened the door and stuck her head out, the rest of her was hidden

“Shave? Don’t most women wax these days?

“Really and where would one get that done exactly?”

“You should help out the local businesses while you’re here.”

“Have you seen Janet’s hair?

“Yeah”

“That mullet came from Beverley Sue’s house of beauty. I am staying right here”

 “Oh I thought she did that on purpose.”

 “Really? You thought a woman in the twenty first century would get a mullet”

 “Well some women do.”

 “Yes the women who go to Beverley Sue’s house of beauty.”

“You know shaving someone else’s legs is a very intimate thing” Jensen said as he stepped up the two steps to get closer to her

“I don’t know about intimate but it’s very trusting”

“Why’s that?” he husked

“Because someone is coming at you with a razor blade, that my friend takes a lot of trust”

 “Trust me?”

 “Yes. Oh crap no, no I don’t” Danni said when she realised what he was implying

 “Too late. Let me in.”

 “No.”

 “Why not?”

 “Because you coming in here is about as good an idea as me sharing tequila with you the other night.”

 “Come on, I just want to talk.”

 “Every time you just want to talk something more happens and besides I’m not suitably attired to be receiving guests.”

 “I love how you talk as if you slip into another era accidentally. Let me in.” He whispered as he ran a finger down her cheek.

 “No.”

 “Let me in.” This time he leaned forward and dropped a quick kiss on her lips

 “No.” But he could hear the conviction wavering.

 “Danni, let me in.” He whispered and ran his tongue along her bottom lip. She sighed and stepped back from the door.

            Jensen walked into the caravan and his body reacted so hard and fast he had to bite his lip to stop from groaning out loud. There were rose scented candles burning, Danneel had quiet music playing in the background and except for the stool and towel near the little sink it would seem like the area had been set up for seduction and it did not help when he turned to look at her, her hair was down and flowing, her skin was glowing and she was wearing a ruby red, silk, short robe and from what he could see nothing else.

 “Just talk Jensen remember.” She said in a warning tone

 “While you’re dressed like that?”

 “Fine, turn around and I will put something decent on.”

 “How about I don’t turn around and we slip that robe off.”

 “Oh Jensen baby you are such a turn on in your work gear covered in mud and I feel so sexy right now with shave cream on one leg and a half shaved leg, ooh yeah baby, do me.” She said in a sarcastically sexy voice.

  “Ok then. Come on, back up on the stool.” Jensen said as he grabbed another stool and the towel.

 “What are you doing?” her eyes widened as he settled on the other stool

 “I told you, I’m shaving your legs and we’re going to talk.”

 “You are not shaving my legs.”

 “Danni if you don’t want me to shave your legs that’s fine. I will sit over here on the couch and every time you bend down to shave a strip I am going to get a view of heaven.”

 “Well then...” she looked around

 “And if I sit on your bed, every time you bend down I will be able to see your absolutely gorgeous breasts that I have caressed and nibbled on before.”

 “Jensen stop.”

 “So I think for both of our sakes you should trust me to shave your legs.”

 “Or you could just go and I will meet you in your caravan in ten minutes.”

 “Uh uh, I’m in the door now.” He shook his head with a flirty smile

 “Jensen please, just give me ten minutes to finish this and dress and I will come over. I feel very uncomfortable right now standing here like this.”

            Jensen looked at her and noticed her body stance. Her back was up against the wall, she had her arms wrapped around herself and her eyes were wide and darting around as if looking for a way out. He felt a wave of tenderness roll over him and something more, something he could not describe, as he stood there looking at her, yes she looked like a trapped animal but she still held her head high and he thought she looked like the sexiest woman on the face of the earth as she glared at him in defiance

 “Do you promise to come to my trailer after you have finished what you need to do here?” he asked quietly

 “Yes.”

 “Ok I will see you in about twenty minutes, which will give me time to have a shower and get something to eat.”

 “Can you get me something too?”

 “You haven’t eaten yet?”

 “No I was waiting for you but then it got later and I just forgot.”

 “Leave it to me” Jensen said and stepped out the caravan. She hadn’t been hiding she had waited for him until the shooting ran over schedule.


	13. Exit Stage Left

            Danneel opened the door of the trailer with resolution. This was it, this was her last night here with him; her hair was washed, she was showered, plucked, shaved and moisturised. She would not seduce him but if their ‘talking’ led to more tonight she would not say no; she would take what she was almost craving now and would have that memory to take back with her to the real world

 “Hey Roger.” Danni said as she was almost knocked over before she got in the door. One whistle from Jensen had him dropping but grinning at her.

 “Dinner is served.” He then said from the kitchen area where he was opening a bottle of wine. If Danneel didn’t know better she would think this was leading towards a seduction, a thought that intensified when

 “Hey guys I’ve come to take the mutt.” Jared said as he came in behind her

 “Roger? Where are you taking him?”

 “Well I am home alone tonight and need some protection from nurse Martha trying to sneak into my trailer. Oh hey I forgot to show you Danni...”

 “What?” He slid up his shirt sleeve and _I luv mum_ was written in pen on his arm, “You are such a dag.” She said on a laugh.

 “Ok Rog, come on over to the bachelor pad.” Jared said and Roger took off out the door with him following

 “So Jared is gone, Roger is gone, there is a meal on the table and you are opening a bottle of wine. You’re not up to anything sneaky are you Mr Ackles.”

 “Not at all Miss Harris. I just felt like a glass of wine and so I picked a chardonnay because I know you drink it.”

 “So how was the day on set?” she asked as she took a sip of wine

 “It was fine? How was your day?”

 “Co-ordinating with your manager and the movie studios. Answering a lot of ‘no comment’ emails and phone calls. The usual.”

 “Last weekend made your life harder?”

 “Hey I’m just your PA. I feel for your manager and maybe the television studios.”

 “It was going to happen anyway Danni. I think I had already decided I couldn’t see myself with her long term.”

 “Jensen you hit a glitch. You guys just needed to spend more time together; and I mean together together. All you ever did was go to functions or charity events. You didn’t get any nights in to just chill.”

 “If I loved Joanna, if she was the one I was going to spend the rest of my life with why did I kiss you?”

 “As you said curiosity as we were working close together.”

 “Ok so why did I keep kissing you?”

 “Because you’re an idiot who wants what he can’t have. I believe it is the thrill of the chase.”

 “Oh I liked chasing you but I liked it better when you stood still and let me touch and taste you.”

 “Jensen stop it.” Danni sighed

 “Why?”

 “Because you can’t.”

 “Actually Danni I can. I am no longer engaged and neither of us have any commitments so I can finally do what I have been thinking, dreaming and fantasising about for weeks.” Jensen stood so close to her she could feel the heat radiating off him and his voice had dropped to a seductive whisper

 “Which is?” Danni asked, sucked into the electric atmosphere

“Kissing you like this.” He whispered before taking her glass form her hands and placing it on the kitchen bench and pulling her into his arms.

            Danni pretty much just clung on as Jensen devoured her and tasted her and even if it did not seem possible dug deeper and demanded more then he had in any of the other kisses.

 “You are addictive.” He whispered as he sprinkled kisses across her face.

 “Jensen.”

 “Shh. Then I fantasise about looking at you, all of you, with no barriers, no restrictions, nothing covering you from my eyes.” He whispered and slowly unbuttoned her dress, kissing each piece of skin as he revealed it. By the time the material slid off her Danni was almost a pool of lust at his feet. “God you are so beautiful.” Jensen whispered as he looked at her standing there in a sky blue bra and pants set that was dotted with hot pink flowers. He stepped back and stared at her

 “What’s wrong?” Danni whispered embarrassed

 “Absolutely nothing.” Jensen said as he stepped towards her and placed his lips on hers again as his hands slid up her hips and stomach to rest just below her breasts.

 “Maybe we should be taking off your shirt?” Danneel said as her hands slid under the material and up his chest and pushed his shirt over his head. Jensen threw it onto the floor with her clothes, “You know you’re beautiful also.” Danneel whispered as her hands explored his muscled chest.

            Jensen stepped forward, forcing her back until she was pushed up against the bench and then he lowered his head and suckled one of her nipples through her bra while one of his hands tweaked the other between his fingers.

 “Jensen stop.” She hissed

“Why?”

 “Because I have been having the same fantasies you’ve been having and you doing this will have me losing the plot.”

 “Do it.” He whispered before taking her mouth again. His knee then came forward and brushed against her core that was now hot, wet and pulsating

 “No Jen stop.” Danneel whispered even though her eyes were closed and her lips were parted

 “God no, I want you to come for me.” Jensen groaned and his hands deftly removed her bra before he sucked one of her nipples hard into his mouth and his fingers slid inside her underwear, they both moaned when he felt her damp heat.

 “Jen”

 “Come on baby, I want to see the look on your face when you leave this planet.”

 “Oh God.” Danneel’s head dropped back, her eyes were closed and her legs automatically spread wider as Jensen’s fingers worked their magic. Then his fingers were gone and before she could let out a whimper of loss he slid off her pants, slid his tongue into her and then just caught her before she fell off the bench

 “Holy...” Danneel muttered and she held onto his shoulders to keep herself upright.

 “Dee look at me”, she did, “I want to feel you come and I want to taste you and I want to feel the heat that is radiating from you.” Jensen said with his sensual voice as his fingers moved in and out of her.

 “Yes.” She hissed as she started rocking onto his fingers and then Jensen put his mouth in the exact right spot and sucked as his fingers plunged into her and Danneel cried out as she was thrown into the universe. Jensen’s tongue and fingers stayed exactly where they were until she stopped trembling then he rose up and kissed her breath away.

 “Jen.” She husked

 “Thank you.” He said and went to turn away

 “What about...?” her hand slid across the front of his denim and Jensen inhaled sharply

 “I’m about to have a cold shower.”

 “Come with me.” Danneel said as she undid his jeans, without saying anything Jensen kicked them off and she led him into the shower.

            Danneel turned the shower onto warm and lathered up a washcloth before slowly drawing it across Jensen’s very impressive erection.

 “Danni what are you doing?” he hissed

 “Shh.” She said before lathering up and taking Jensen into her hands.

 “What the?” he groaned and put up his arms to hold into the shower stall so he didn’t fall over

 Danneel slowly moved her hand up and down Jensen’s shaft and fondled him while she slid her body up and down Jensen’s in an imitation and flicked her tongue across one of his aureoles.

 “Danni I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.” He husked before she took his mouth with hot, wet passion

 “Good.” She husked and slid to her knees

 “Dee no.”

 “Jen yes, this is amazing.”  and took him into her mouth

 “It feels amazing, it’s beyond amazing it’s...” Jensen could no longer talk as Danneel worked her magic with her lips and tongue, inhaling and sucking and stroking and licking. He could feel the tension mounting and as he held her head he did not know if he wanted to pull her away or push her closer, then when he knew he was about to explode Danni pulled her mouth away and tightly grasped him with the face cloth, the roughness after the damp heat of her mouth pushed him over the edge and as her hands worked their magic Jensen saw stars explode behind his eyes.

 “You did not have to do that.” Jensen gasped after he inhaled enough oxygen that he could talk again and help Danneel up

 “Neither did you.”

 “I couldn’t help it.”

 “Neither could I.” Danneel said before placing her lips on his for a simple and quick kiss.

“Thank you.” He said then got out of the shower and quickly dried himself off before tenderly drying Danneel off and wrapping her in a bathrobe. Danneel then stood there and watched as Jensen pulled on a pair of jeans and a black shirt without putting on any underwear.

 “Well now that is just plain mean.”

 “About as mean as you being completely naked under there; what now?”

 “An embarrassed and awkward dinner?”

 “You’re not embarrassed are you?”

 “No. That was above and beyond I ever fantasised about Jensen, you’ve set the bar high.”

 “So have you, we could see if we can get it even higher” He said as he scooped her up and placed her on his bed. As he reached for the belt of the robe his phone rang.

            From what Danni could hear of the conversation it was Joanna and she was upset about some story that had broken. Jensen didn’t even look at Danneel as he went to couch and sat down. All of a sudden she was in the awkward and embarrassing place she had been describing before and she quickly found and pulled her clothes back on. As she walked out of the trailer she looked back and Jensen did not even glance up from the computer he was looking at while talking to his ex or maybe not so ex fiancé.

            Danneel walked into her caravan, threw the few things she had not packed up into a bag, and exited for the last time.

 “Hey.” Jared said as he opened at her knock

 “Just come to say bye.”

 “Good bye? Why?” he asked as he stepped out of the caravan

 “I’m not needed here anymore. I think we all know I was here as a buffer between Jensen and Joanna. Extra security are coming out in case media finds you but my job here is done.”

 “What’s Jensen say about this?”

 “Even if he had anything to say it is nothing to do with him. I have a life to lead back home that I have been putting on hold so I can help my dad out. Time to get back to what I want to do.”

 “But you and Jensen?”

 “Me and Jensen nothing Jared. It was a few kisses, nothing more.”

 “So just now?”

 “Nothing. We said goodbye. That’s it. I just came to say thanks for being my friend and keep in touch.”

“So you’re just leaving? In the middle of the night?”

 “It’s not the middle of the night and there is a flight leaving soon that I have always been booked on. Thanks for everything again Jared.” She said and leant up to give him a hug.

            Jared scooped her up so her feet were dangling off the ground and almost crushed her in his hug. “Be careful and don’t be a stranger.” He whispered and gave her a kiss on the cheek before giving her another hug.

            Jensen had listened to Joanna in tears for the reprimand she had got from the studios who had put her on probation, gently reminding her that it was very easy to kill off a character on day time television.  When he looked up Danneel had gone and after finding her caravan empty he had walked around only to find her wrapped in an embrace with his co-star. He felt like they had finally broken past all the bull and the lies and being with her just then had been an absolute mind blowing experience, his body started twitching just thinking about it; he felt safe that whatever was going on there was nothing to concern him so he turned around and went back to his caravan and waited for her to return so they could pick up where they left off.

******

 “What do you mean gone?” Jensen stared over the coffee Jared had brought him the next morning. He had waited for Danneel for awhile before realising she wasn’t returning last night. He was going to go to her caravan then but decided they had plenty of time to decide where they were going or what they were doing. Now, as he sat here staring at Jared not quite comprehending what he was saying, he thought maybe if he had gone to her caravan he could have stopped her fleeing.

 “Gone. She came and said good-bye to me last night and said she had already said her good-byes to you.”

 “Gone?”

 “Packed up, caravan empty, in hire car and on a flight home gone. Didn’t she say good-bye?”

 “If that’s what she wants to call it”

 “What do you call it?”

 “The best blow job I’ve ever had.”

 “Dude!”

 “How the hell was I supposed to know? I thought we were in the middle of something and then she just left.”

 “Ok don’t take this the wrong way, and no offence at your…ah…skills man but if you were in the middle of...well that...didn’t you notice when she got up, dressed and left?”

 “I was on the phone.”

 “Dude!”

 “It was Joanna and she was all upset and crying.” He sighed as he rubbed his hands over his face in pure self anger and frustration. He hadn’t even thought last night when he took the phone call but when he said it out loud to Jared now he realised what a douche he was to Danneel. No wonder she left; he was probably lucky she hadn’t king hit him before walking out the door.

 “And this is why I have a great reputation with women and you are going to be single for the rest of your life now. If you are with a woman in that situation, you don’t answer the phone, do you know how much of a turn on women find it when you ignore the phone?”

 “Damn it, I can’t believe she just left.”

 “Well you gotta better good bye kiss then I did.” Jared said with a laugh and a slap on the back

 “Get...”

 “I’m going.”


	14. Happy ever After

            Danneel had gotten a postponement on the exam she was doing next week and so had put her the books away and came to spend some time with her parents; it was close to what Jensen had done, fleeing the real world, except she was upstairs in her childhood bedroom and not out in the cottage. She now lay under the umbrella beside the pool, relaxing and sipping a cold drink, not feeling guilty at all for the crime mystery she had open beside her

 “Hey sweetie.’

 “Hey mum.”

 “Can I ask a question?”

  “I don’t even know why you’re asking permission because you’ll ask it anyway.”

 “Is everything ok with you?”

 “Yeah I told you I’m just having a break.” She was glad she was wearing sun glasses so her mother could not see her eyes.

“So the pale skin, sunken cheeks and dark circles under your eyes are…?”

“Two years of hard work, no matter what your opinion of it was, with no breaks catching up with me”

 “And Jensen Ackles?”

 “What about him?” she tried not to but she could feel her body tensing

 “What happened between the two of you?”

 “What do you want me to say mum?”

 “The truth.”

 “Why?”

 “Because you are a grown woman who cannot hide out at her parent’s house if something doesn’t go the way you want it, not that we’re not enjoying having you to ourselves and it’s your home too so you can stay as long as you want.”

 “Gee thanks mum.”

 “You know what I mean.”

 “Yes. I did something stupid with Jensen but it’s ok, it’s over now.”

 “Did you follow my advice?”

 “Sort of but the stupid thing I did was fall in love with him.”

 “Really?” her mother asked with curiosity

 “I know, I know, he is only an actor who is all about looks and self involved and living in his own little world that revolves around him; I’ve heard it all before mum but Jensen is different.”

 “Well he must be if you fell in love with him. So if you did what are you doing here?”

 “Because Jensen doesn’t feel the same, which is fair, he has only just gotten out of an engagement and I was the rebound girl.”

 “Did he say this to you?”

 “No, don’t be stupid, Jensen is not like that so don’t go putting your bad opinions on him. I just know ok so I left and I came here to have a break before I go back to uni.”

 “Are you sure he thought of you as the rebound girl?”

 “Yes.”

 “Then why is he here now asking to see you?”

 “What? You didn’t tell him I was here did you? You didn’t let him in?” Danneel asked rapid fire as she jumped up and pulled on shorts over her swimsuit.

“Of course we let him in. You’re father is talking to him while I pretend to see if you are here.”

 “Crap what am I going to do?”

 “Talk to him. Find out why he is here.”

“Crap, crap, what if I don’t want to?” she said frantically as she looked around for an escape

 “Then try and leave the house without him seeing you, realising you are only wearing a bikini.”

 “You know you suck as a mother sometimes.”

 “No I don’t. I would suck if I let you flee without finding out why he’s really here. Maybe he is here for a booty call in which case both your father and I will string him up alive for you but if he is here for something else don’t you owe it to yourself, and him, to hear what that is.”

 “Mum.” Danneel whined

 “Come on sweetie, you are braver than this, what happened to the woman who broke that guy’s nose?”

 “Can you and dad entertain him while I get dressed into something decent?”

 “You look beautiful now but you are right, Eddie’ll have a fit if you greet someone looking like that. You can do this sweetie and if it’s bad news, we are here for you.” Her mother said as she gave her a kiss on her forehead and walked off.

 

            Jensen caught his breath as Danneel walked into the room. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked as jittery as an untamed colt but after a very long week away from her she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He stood up from where he was sitting with her parents and smiled

 “Jensen.” She said formally with a nod of her head from the other side of the room.

 “Danni you left without saying goodbye.”

 “I wouldn’t say that was entirely true.” She mumbled and Jensen smiled as she blushed

 “Can we please just talk? I need someone to talk to about everything going on and I’ve found that I’ve come to depend on you for that.”

 “I thought Jared was your man for that?”

 “Not about this. This I need to talk to you about. I want you to come with me.”

 “Where to?”

 “My house.”

 “Umm Jensen...” Edward stood up and went to stand beside Danneel. Danneel was not sure if her mother had said something to him or if he had just picked up on the tension in the room but she appreciated his support.

 “I promise you are completely safe there, I would never hurt you and after we’ve talked you can come home; you can even follow me in your car if you want so you can leave at any time.”

 “It’s ok dad.”

 “Edward, she is a grown woman.” Her mother piped up

 “Fine.” He sighed and gave her a kiss on the forehead        

 

            Danneel followed Jensen and after two hours of driving they turned into a dirt driveway that went for a few minutes before coming around a corner to see a perfect plantation style farm house. She was completely charmed as she parked next to Jensen’s SUV and he came over to open her door and help her out of the car.

 “This is your place?”

 “Yep. This is where I come to relax.”

 “Just the house?”

 “The land as far as you can see in that direction.”

 “It’s huge.”

 “It’s a farm, come on I’ll show you around.” a few minutes later Jensen pointed to a quad bike and handed her a helmet. “Hop on.”

 “That?”

 “Yep, you can ride shotgun.”

 “I am so not sitting on there with you.”

 “Why not?” he gave her a teasing smile

“Jensen why am I here?” she huffed

 “Look just get on, we’ll be fine Danni, I promise. I just want to show you what I really call home. You know I have the apartment in the city but this is where I can come and relax and just be me without any airs”

            They shot out of the garage with Roger running and barking beside them and went through a gate. After driving over some grass hills they parked next to a barn and Jensen turned the machine off before helping Danneel off. She let out a sigh of relief as she stepped away from him. She had now discovered her own personal hell, being chest to back with Jensen while inhaling his scent and having a throbbing machine between her legs.

 “You right there Danni?” he asked but his smile told her he knew exactly what she was thinking and when her eyes flittered down she noticed he was not completely immune either.

 “Fine. Perfect.” She said with a bright smile

 “Come in then.” Jensen took her hand and led her into the barn.

            The barn contained three horses and a donkey. There was an older man there brushing one horse who had her eyes closed in bliss. Jensen introduced her to each of the animals and let her wield a carrot to get better acquainted

 “They all like you.”

 “Animals have always liked me and I love them but that donkey?”

 “That was love at first sight. The last three strangers that have come in here have been nipped. That tongue lashing was a kiss.”

 “Do you have any other animals?”

 “To find out you are going to have to jump aboard again.” He smiled and Danneel had to bite her lip to not let out a groan of frustration

            They continued around the farm and Jensen introduced her to five cows and a herd of sheep and then around the back of his house was a dam that was occupied by geese and ducks. A little further along was a mesh hut surrounded by chickens.

 “My God it’s an actual farm.” Danneel said with a smile as Jensen fed the birds that grew in considerable number as soon as they saw him.

 “Well it’s small at the moment, just enough for one worker to handle but I love it here and intend to make it bigger in the future when I’m not away all the time.”

 “Jensen I love it, it’s so relaxing. What does Joanna think?”

 “She didn’t come out to the animals that often. When she was here she stayed inside away from the bugs and the smell was how she put it.”

 “So you’re selling this when you get married?”

  “No. Not at all.”

  “So you’ll keep the unit and come here on the weekends?”

 “I don’t know, that all depends.”

 “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to ask invasive questions, maybe I should go.” Danneel said as she noticed how uncomfortable Jensen was and felt awkward and out of place

 “No don’t, I’ll let you ride us back to the garage.”

“Alright now we’re talking.”

 “Do you need a lesson?”

 “Nope, I’ve ridden one of these before. Climb aboard baby and get ready to hang on.”

 “Ok you asked for it.” Jensen said with a smile before helping her on and then sliding on behind her and nestling himself into the small of her back

 “Help.” Danneel muttered to herself as she felt Jensen’s hard abs pressed up against her not to mention that lower down his body she could feel definite twitching

 “Sorry what did you say?” Jensen said in her ear

 “Nothing.” Danneel gasped and turned the engine on, again sending up a silent plea when the throbbing started and Jensen wrapped his arms around her waist.  “Where am I going?”

 “In that direction.” Jensen pointed and Danneel pressed her foot to the peddle.

            The feeling of flying across the paddocks was exhilarating and Danneel was literally laughing as the wind rushed across her face and she could smell the fresh mown grass and hear the birds and the cows.

 “Watch out.” She heard Jensen say in her ear about two seconds before she hit the puddle. She had control over the machine so there was no danger but at the speed they were going she managed to cover them both in a layer of mud. She let out another laugh and kept going until they reached the garage again

 “Ok remind me never to get in a car with you.” Jensen said as he climbed off the bike and helped her off

 “Are you kidding, that was insane, that was the best feeling, God it’s almost better than sex.”

 “Really?” Jensen drawled

 “I said almost.” She laughed again, she could not seem to wipe the smile off her face

 “Damn it” she heard him mutter

 “What?”

 “I don’t think you have any idea how beautiful you look right now with your face lit up like that.” Jensen said before pulling her close and taking her mouth. Danneel stepped into it and gave herself up to the sensation. She knew it was wrong but she could not stop kissing him, after a thorough exploration Jensen stepped away from her and held her as she swayed on the spot

 “I take that as a compliment.”

 “Don’t make a bigger deal out of it than it is Jensen.”

“Ok then shower.”

 “What?” Danneel gasped as her mind flashed back to the last shower they shared

 “Have you seen yourself?”

 “What do you mean?”

 “Come on.” Jensen took her hand and led her into the house, down the hallway before she had a chance to look around and into a bathroom. When Danneel saw herself in the mirror she let out a little shriek. There was mud all up the front of her and even smudges on her face

 “I look atrocious.”

 “You look beautiful but I am well aware of the female ego so there are towels in the cupboard and you can have the robe behind the door. Ok now strip.”

 “What?”

 “You do have a bra and undies on”

 “So?”

 “I’ve seen it all before Danni, come on, take your clothes off so I can take them and wash them.”

 “Jensen.”

 “Modesty, such a quaint trait but there is nothing to see, you will still be completely decent in your underwear.”

            Jensen stepped forward and pulled her shirt over her head. Danneel then kicked off her sneakers and undid her jeans. She bent down to pull them off, letting her hair curtain her blushing face.

 “Maybe not such a good idea.” Jensen muttered as he looked at her standing there in little triangles of nothing, he then stepped forward and placed his lips on hers.

 “You are just so beautiful.” He said between kisses

 “Jensen you can’t say that to me.” Danneel said as she pulled away from temptation and pushed him out the bathroom door.

            After she showered she stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a huge towelling robe to find Jensen leaning up against the wall waiting for her. He had damp hair and was wearing fresh jeans that were so old they were holey and a shirt that moulded to him and made her mouth water.

“Come on I’ll show you around and make us some lunch.”

Danneel fell in love with the farm house straight away. The kitchen was light and breezy with all the modern conveniences but the rest of the house was decorated eclectically with comfort in mind rather than style and fashion and there was a veranda around the entire house. Danneel could picture hours curled up in chair outside listening to the cicadas as she read or studied and her heart broke a little bit more.

 “Do you like it?”

 “It suites you perfectly. I never thought about where you would live, I just picture you in your trailer but this is perfect. You don’t seem the kind of guy to live in sleek and stylish.”

 “Yeah I have bought the furniture in bits and pieces as I see something that I like or will fit in here.”

 “What does Joanna think of the furnishings? She seems a more sleek and modern woman to me.”

 “At first she called it cute, then she called it rustic, then she called it names I won’t say in front of you.”

 “Jensen why am I here?”

 “Because I missed you and wanted to talk to you and spend some time with you.” He wanted to tell her everything but he was still unsure of the atmosphere around them and she still seemed jumpy, like if he looked at her the wrong way she would take off, even if she was dressed in a robe.

 “What would you be doing if I wasn’t here?” she asked, interrupting his thoughts

 “Just reading or relaxing.”

 “Well don’t let me stop you. I actually have a book in my bag so I can read while you do what you’re doing and any time you’re ready to talk I’m here.”

            They curled up on either end of the couch and read, about an hour later Jensen looked up as her book fell on the ground and she was asleep, head resting on a cushion, a little smile on her face and her hair curling where it had naturally dried. As he sat there looking at her he felt something like a bolt of electricity surge through him. He could almost see the two of them here in ten years with kids running around, twenty years as they talked about the futures their kids were planning and thirty years when their grand kids ran amok. A vision he had never seen of his future with Joanna; a vision he could see so clearly he felt a pain in his chest and realised he had stopped breathing.

 “Dee.” He blurted out

“Hmm sorry I fell asleep.” Danneel husked and as she stretched her robe gaped open to reveal one of her breasts. “Oops sorry.” She husked and tightened the robe again.

 “Danni.” He sighed

 “Hmm?”

 “I want to make love to you. I want to take you into my bedroom, into my bed and slide that robe off you so I can bury myself in you.”

 “You can’t Jensen”

 “No I can’t.” Danni thought he sounded sad. He knew that if he had half a chance at all with her he had to keep their physical attraction out of it for now. He had to woo her the old fashioned way.

 “I should go.”

 “Your clothes are still on the bathroom floor. Come with me.” He said and led her into his bedroom.

 “Jensen.”

 “No it’s ok.” He said and then opened a drawer and pulled out a shirt & track suit pants, “you can wear these home.”

 “Oh yeah baby sexy statement.”

 “Sweetheart I have a feeling you would look sexy in a garbage bag.” He sighed and walked out of the room

            Jensen walked her out to the car and opened the door for her. He felt like time was passing him by, like the opportunity was slipping away from him

 “I love your house Jensen, thank you for showing it to me.” She said quietly

 “I’m glad you liked it...”

 “Thanks Jensen.” She whispered and went to climb in the car

 “Wait!” he pulled her out and closed the car door again

 “What? What’s wrong?” her eyes were wide

 “See, here’s the thing, the reason I brought you out here. I love you.”

 “What?”

 “Damn it I’m doing this all wrong, I know, I wanted to woo you and prove myself to you but I just panicked when you went to get in the car.”

 “Jensen what did you just say?”

 “I love you.”

 “You can’t.” She gasped in shock

 “Damn it, I know, I’m sorry.”

 “No Jensen stop talking. You can’t love me because you were talking on the phone to Joanna forever that night; and you can’t love me because I was just the rebound girl you were having a fling with. I’m no one; I’m not some gorgeous woman who is going to be famous. I am studying to be a lecturer.”

 “That’s where you are so wrong Dee, you are stunningly gorgeous and every time I turn around there is a man throwing himself at your feet; I feel like I live in a wave of jealousy the whole time I am around you.”

 “Says the man with hundreds of websites dedicated to him.”

 “Yeah maybe but they are sites created by fans who I have never met in my life and never will meet. Here now in this yard it’s just you and me, the way I want it to be forever, with the exception of children and grand children.”

 “Hang on, wait, what are you saying?”

 “I am saying I love you and if you can handle all the crap that goes with being with a television personality and if you think you may have some kind of feelings for me in the future, I am saying I want to be with you, have a relationship with you so you can get to know me because Danni, I know already I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you. You were never the rebound girl ever. You are way too smart for me and beautiful and you had me from the minute we watched that episode on tv together. I want to be the one to protect you from anything scary, be it real or imaginary for the rest of your life and I want to be the one to go into all the scary, small, dark places so you don’t have to. I’m saying it all wrong again but what I am trying to say is I want to be everything to you, the one you depend on and rely on and need. ” he looked deep into her eyes as he blurted all this out.

 “Seriously? Is this some kind of publicity stunt?”

 “Babe we are standing in the driveway of my house, you are wearing a baggy tracksuit and I am wearing torn jeans. If this was a stunt or if I had any sense of style at all, there would be a room full of roses and a huge engagement ring. Instead I am blurting this out completely inappropriately because you were getting in your car and I panicked that you would drive away and I would never get to say this again, god I really suck at this.”

 “Jensen stop.” She said as she placed a finger over his mouth to stop him berating himself.

 “What?”

 “Say it again.” She whispered and Jensen looked into the face of the woman he loved and for the first time thought he could see the sun coming out from behind the storm clouds. Her face was glowing, her eyes were shining and her smile set his heart racing, he took her face in both his hands and looked deep into her eyes

 “I love you.”

 “I love you too.” She whispered back. Four little words made his heart explode, his hands shake and his body tremble.

 “You love me?” a small smile appeared

 “I love you.”

 “And will you marry me?” his smile widened

 “Well I was kind of looking forward to the room full of roses and the huge rock.”

 “I can make that happen. Give me an hour.” He said as he reached into his pocket for his phone

 “Jensen stop I was kidding. You are my everything, my real live action hero and yes I will marry you. I love you and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

 “I want to take you back inside and make love to you until neither of us knows what year it is.” 

 “It’s about time.” She smiled and Jensen scooped her up and carried her into his house and into their perfect future.


	15. Epilogue

**_Jensen Ackles not walking the lonely road his Character does!_ **

_Today Jensen Ackles married Danneel Harris in an elaborate Hollywood style wedding witnessed by five hundred guests including, politicians, family, friends and a list of television personalities too long to name._

_The couple met when Danneel, the daughter of studio executive Edward Graul, worked as Jensen’s personal assistant on last season’s Supernatural. At the time Jensen was engaged to Joanna Krupa._

_The bride walked down the aisle in a silver one off designer wedding dress that made her already breathtaking figure absolutely stunning while carrying a bouquet of bright pink roses. Her mother was her matron of honour and as we all know Deborah Graul always knows how to dress impeccably. Jensen’s best man was his Supernatural brother Jared Padalecki._

_And ladies, to every one of you who cursed and swore when they found out Jensen was off the market again, there are no words I can write to describe the depth of emotion that showed on his face when he watched the woman he loves walk towards him. Nearly every person in the church was crying, including me; and the way these two looked at each other as they said the vows they had personally written and slid on the handmade platinum wedding bands? All I can say is that this is a marriage that will last long after they have ridden off into the sunset._

_After the announcement of their engagement, our magazine went on the set of Supernatural and interviewed the lucky couple and we asked Miss Harris how Jensen popped the big question_

_“In a room full of roses wielding a large rock, it was hard for a girl to say no.” she said seriously but then Jensen Ackles advised his beautiful fiancé, with a kiss to her emerald and diamond antique engagement ring, to tell the truth so there were no more rumours and they both burst out laughing._

_Yes ladies, it would appear that this stunning actor panicked when Miss Harris went to drive away from him and he proposed in his driveway while she was wearing a tracksuit and he was wearing jeans. They both laugh when he tells this story before she leans over and kisses him and said she would have kept his secret._

_And ladies the secret is that this man cannot live without the love of his life; she travels on the road with him and studies while Jensen works on the multi emmy award winning Supernatural and films movies in the off season and the two of them will be living happily ever after on a farm property away from the eyes of the fans and the media._

_“It gets very tiring watching these two adore each other constantly” Jensen’s co-star Jared Padalecki pipes up as he walks past and with a cuff across the back of the head from his on screen brother says “Nah I’m only kidding, watching this love story play out on set was great. There were the usual dramas and setbacks but alas these two prove that love will always conquer in the end”. At this point Jared makes a fantastic gagging sound but he has a big smile on his face as he looks to Jensen and his fiancé who leans over and gives Jared a kiss on the cheek._

_“Hey you two, not in front of the media, we don’t need any more rumours circulating” Jensen responds and they all start laughing._

_And what of children?_

_“Oh there will definitely be children and grand children and if I am a very lucky man, great grand children but at the moment I just want to have this absolutely perfect woman to myself.”_

_“So you can practice on having children?” Jared pipes up before Jensen politely reminds him that the magazine is not here to interview him and escorts him from the room with another cuff across the back of the head._

_“It must be a hard life to be stuck out on set with these two absolutely gorgeous and stunning specimens of men?”_

_“Jensen is the love of my life and Jared is not only Jensen’s on screen brother but also his off screen best friend and it is the same for me. Stories are always printed about his so called philandering but Jared is a beautiful person on the inside who would do anything and be anywhere for a friend and I know I will always be able to count on him”_

_In amongst all the glitterati and celebrities in attendance at the wedding we noticed in the back corner one Miss Joanna Krupa who was looking very infatuated with her lover Riley, and wielding her own piece of bling. I’m sure everyone can recall that it was the scandal between these two that broke Jensen and Joanna up in the first place. So ladies and gentlemen it does look like love strikes again and we will be watching closely for any announcements from the Krupa Camp._

_From everyone at this magazine – our best wishes go to Jensen and Danneel Ackles_

******

 “Hello Mrs Ackles.” Jensen whispered as he carried his beautiful bride over the threshold of the honeymoon suite.

 “Hello Mr Ackles” Danneel smiled and reached up to kiss him as he unzipped her wedding dress.

 “I have never seen a more beautiful bride as you walking down the aisle towards me today.” He said as he slowly revealed and kissed pieces of skin, the dress then dropped to her feet and she was standing there covered by two pieces of lace and two ribbons.

 “See something you like?” she whispered

 “Turn around and let me see all of it first” Danneel stepped out of the pool of material and slowly turned in her stilettos, “What the hell?” Jensen yelped as she turned her back to him fully

 “Well I figured since I was your number one fan it was time for me to get your name on my ass.” She smiled and ran towards the bedroom.

            Jensen scooped her up and threw her onto the bed before rolling her over and taking a closer look.

 “Thank God it’s only pen.”

 “What? Don’t you want to be on my ass in fifty years time?”

 “Oh I plan to be and after I have finished what we are doing here you can tell me who had the pleasure of writing that on there.”


End file.
